Time of your Life: HOME
by peach83
Summary: it's all about JK. People change for two reasons: either they've learned enough that they want to, or they've been hurt enough that they have to.
1. Prologue

_**A/N: **I'm on semestral break and I'm back for a week!! hahaha... I've got like 7 days to finish this story so, wish me luck! ) good to be back even for a while..._

_**Time Of Your Life: HOME**_

By: peach83

Katherine Singer

Arra Jessica Sammler

Alessandra Warren

Reewa Banks

Ysabella Cage

Thaddeus Pincus

**PROLOGUE**

Stanford University, Stanford, California… Alessandra Warren couldn't seem to believe what her roommate and close friend, Katherine Singer, had just told her. College life at the university was going great, and she couldn't understand why Katie is leaving now. Alex watched as Katie hurriedly packs her clothes into boxes…

"I can't stop you, can I?" Alex looks sadly at Katie.

"It's NYU, Alex." Katie replies, as if it justifies her reason to leave. To Alex, it's too shallow.

"This sucks, you know. Stanford is both our dream. We've always wanted this. I don't know what forced you to move, but I do hope it's worth it." Alex tries to sound reassuring, but the thought of Katie going to New York is sort of depressing. And plus, it means that she's gonna have to hang out with Reewa more. Not that she hates Reewa, they are really close. It's just that Reewa has too much energy for Alex to handle.

"Trust me, it is." Katie forces a smile and continues packing.

"I, uh… I heard about you and my brother…" Alex wished she didn't open the topic, but it was too late to take it back. Katie had dropped what she was doing, and focused her attention to Alex.

Katie actually expected that Alex would open the subject about Damien… She hates breaking someone's heart. But the relationship is going nowhere, and it was a waste of time. Besides, she's leaving for New York, and she finds no reason to keep fooling both of them…

"Alex, I'm sorry…"

"Katie, it's your life, and you have to do what you have to do, right?" Although if Alex had a choice, she wanted her brother Damien back with Katie. Katie is good for him.

"I did not intend to hurt Damien…" Katie says sincerely.

"I know, Katie… But I was hoping you'd tell me why." Alex stares at her friend. Katie stares at the floor, for a moment contemplating whether or not to continue this conversation or not. But she anticipated that it would all come down to this.

This is the moment of truth…

"I'm not in love with your brother…"

"Oh…" But Alex could vividly remember that look she had seen on Katie just last week. She definitely looked in love. So what is Katie talking about? She couldn't be mistaken… Katie is in love, she knows it…

_But with whom?_

"But are you?"

"What?"

"In love." Alex meets Katie's gaze as the dirty blonde finally looks up at her friend.

"Yes… With someone I'm not supposed to fall in love with…" The thought of how it felt brought a smile in Katie's already somber face, at the same time, a painful sting in her bleeding heart, Alex observes.

"Is that why you're leaving?" Alex looks at her in disbelief. Katie's determination had always been unshakable. "Katie…" Alex suddenly feels sympathetic.

"It hurts too much just being here…" Tears form in Katie's green eyes, and she managed to stop it from falling. Alex had never seen her so vulnerable. How can these feelings make her feel so strong and so weak at the same time?

"Oh, Katie…" Alex wraps her arms around Katie, to which Katie was very grateful for. Alex pulls away and looks determined at Katie. "You know what? I think you should stay. Why do you have to sacrifice for him? You should stay, and then we can avenge your broken heart and make him realize how stupid he is. Let's make him drool!" Alex looks excited about the idea. Katie is amused and manages a smile.

"Alex, it's more complicated than you thought…" Despite the smile, the heartrending pain remained in Katie's eyes.

"Yeah? How complicated? Come on Katie, why are you throwing everything you've started here just for the sake of this person who obviously is too clueless to even care? To be honest, I don't think this person is worth any of your sacrifices at all. Why are you doing this?" Alex wonders who managed to win Katie's elusive heart that her gorgeous brother wasn't able to?

Pause…

"Because it's Jessie…" Katie finally admits. She waited for Alex's reaction, but Alex is looking at her, obviously not understanding her.

"Jessie?" Alex couldn't think of a guy named Jessie. There was a cute guy named Jesse in her anatomy class but Katie hadn't really met him. "I couldn't remember any Jessie. The only Jessie I know is Aiden's girlfriend Jessie." Alex says. While Damien is her eldest brother, Aiden is the youngest one of the three of them. Both of them are also in California, studying in UC Berkeley.

Then it hits her like lightning. Alex slowly looks up Katie, her jaw dropping to the floor…

"Oh my God…" Alex reacts, and Katie just confirms what seems to be the answer to this very complicated puzzle…

"I knew you'd say that…"

"Oh my God. You're---" Alex repeats, staring wide-eyed at Katie…

"In love with your other brother's girlfriend…" Katie sighs. Alex was too surprised to even say anything… It was a confession she never thought she would hear from Katie Singer, ever…


	2. The Queen Elizabeth II

**CHAPTER 1 THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II**

Years later, at LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA… Alessandra Warren, RN, reaches for the set of keys in her knapsack with her right hand, while on her left were boxes of Chinese food she bought on her way home. It's not much for dinner, but neither she nor her roommate knows how to cook. Take outs make her miss her former roommate in college more. Alex flings the door open to what seems to be an empty apartment unit…

"Jessie?" Alex calls out. She hears no response, but hears the sound of movements coming from one of the bedrooms. She throws her knapsack to the couch, then heads to the kitchen and puts the Chinese food down the table. Taking off her coat, she begins searching for her missing roommate, whom she found packing in her own bedroom…

"Jess?" Alex looks at Jessie in confusion, then shifts her eyes to the already sealed boxes in front of her.

"Hey, Alex…" Jessie gives her a brief look, then looks away again. Alex gives the blonde a questioning look, but Jessie does not say anything further.

"Déjà vu." Alex whispers to herself. Her mind transports her back to that day in college, when one of her bestfriends ditched their Stanford dream and moved to New York. Then she continues. "Is it me, or am I just imagining that my brothers' ex-girlfriends keep walking out on me?" Alex jokes, and was successful in putting a smile in Jessie's face. The nurse walks towards Jessie.

"Exactly how many of your brothers' ex-girlfriends did you share an apartment with?" Jessie jokes back.

"Only those that they fell in love with…" Alex replies, while Jessie was unmoved for a while, avoiding her friend's eyes…

It wasn't easy being in Alex's situation. She loves her brothers dearly, maybe as much as she loves her close friends whom she treats as the sisters she never had. But being in the middle of everything that happened between her brothers and their ex-girlfriends, it just broke her heart…

It's not easy to be the only one who knows everything…

"You're going to New York, aren't you?" Alex looks seriously at Jessie. Jessie looks at her in the eye…

"It's something I need to do…"

Pause…

"Then I'm going with you." Alex says firmly, then heads to her own bedroom to pack. Jessie was surprised, but realizing that Alex was serious, she follows her to the other bedroom…

"What?" Jessie asks Alex.

"I'm going to New York with you." Alex pulls out a big suitcase from the top of her closet and starts throwing clothes, untidily, into the suitcase.

"Alex, I've been planning this. I'm all set to go there, but you--- You can't just leave your job here. As much as I appreciate your company, I wouldn't want to cause you any inconvenience."

"Jessie, like it or not, I AM going." Alex says, and continues packing.

"What about your job, your promotion?" Jessie asks. Alex is about to get promoted at the hospital she's working in.

"Who cares? It's time for me to do something spontaneous for a change. And besides, there are a lot of people that I want to see in New York." Alex plasters a toothy grin, and Jessie giggles. "I'm gonna find a new job in New York." Alex reassures Jessie.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah… This is so exciting!" Alex exclaims, and Jessie laughs; so much for Alex's enthusiasm. She has her own packing to finish.

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK… A MONTH LATER… 14th floor, Empire State Building…

"Thanks Reewa, but I have my own out-of-the-country trip to go to." The striking dirty blonde currently sitting with her back turned on her visitor friend standing by the door spins her office chair around, flashing her trademark smile that won the hearts of many.

"Who are you going with this time?" Reewa Banks, reporter for the New York Times, narrows her hazel eyes at her friend sitting behind the big table in front of her.

"I can't tell you…" Katie grins, and Reewa rolls her eyes. She knows that look on Katie's face; it was predatory, the look that she never liked.

"You're not dating the President's daughter, are you?" Reewa looks sharply at Katie, who giggles.

"Why, is she hot?" The grin on Katie's face grows even wider, for the sole purpose of annoying Reewa. Not that she will ever date the President's daughter, she's not really her type.

"You'll be doing YOUR country a favor if you wouldn't even think of that." Reewa says as a matter-of-fact.

"You do know that I'm part English and Irish, right? So which country's head of state's daughter are you talking about?" Katie jokes.

"You think you're so suave and charming?" Reewa frowns at Katie, and Katie does not say anything. The grin remains in her flawless face, and Reewa rolls her eyes again. "Fine, you ARE suave and charming, and I don't even know how you do that. But for God's sake, Katie, it wouldn't be so bad to let yourself feel sometimes." Reewa refers to Katie's 'no relationship rule'.

"Here we go again…" Katie sighs, and exaggerates the way her shoulders fall down. Reewa just wouldn't get tired of lecturing her.

"You will have to settle down one of these days." Reewa points out.

"Are you kidding me, Banks?" Katie raises her left eyebrow.

"I'll find someone who can tame you." Reewa warns her. Katie slumps deeper into her chair, looking tired.

"I'm not an animal." Katie replies indignantly.

"So what classification do you fall into?" Reewa jokes.

Pause…

"Look, I'm really sorry that I can't join you in this trip of yours, which you wouldn't tell me anything about. What's the deal? Who are you interviewing?" Katie pulls out a file from the stack rested on top of her table. She pulls the big drawer on her right and picks up her suitcase, and gets up from the chair.

"I'll only tell you if you promise to accompany me." Reewa sounds so proper, that it made Katie laugh. Katie's used to Reewa using words that Katie doesn't normally use when she's not in the court room, but still, she finds it amusing.

"You sound so proper, turns me off even more." Katie jokes again. She heads for the door.

"Come on Katie, it would be so lonely traveling alone." Reewa would have asked her boyfriend to go with her to Europe, if she hadn't broken up with him last Thanksgiving.

"Hire someone." Katie suggests.

"Jerk." Reewa follows Katie who storms out of the office. The lawyer was walking so fast that Reewa is having a hard time catching up.

"I have to rush to the courtroom, but I'll see you soon." Katie waves goodbye at Reewa as she enters the elevator. Reewa sighs. Now she has to find someone to bring with her to the trip.

The following day…

The famous luxury liner, Queen Elizabeth II, had been sailing the sea for five hours. Among those who are aboard the ship are Alex and Jessie. Jessie, the brilliant pharmacologist, is obviously adored and trusted in the new pharmaceutical company she's working in, Bendiner Schlesinger Drug Company, for she was tasked to meet an important English client in a luxury cruise aboard the Queen Elizabeth II. It was free, and Jessie was allowed to bring one person along with her, which was perfect since Alex is still available, and will be starting as a staff nurse at the New York Foundling Hospital in two weeks.

"You know what? Your job rocks!" Alex exclaims as they entered the big ballroom of the QE2. The ship was already sailing the high seas on its way to London, and Alex just couldn't contain her excitement. Jessie laughs at her friend.

"It does." Jessie looks around in awe. She had heard of how lavish the Queen Elizabeth II is, but she never imagined it would be like this: it's as if an upgraded version of the Titanic. When Alex turns to look at her friend, she finds the blonde staring in space.

"You okay?" Alex asks in concern. Jessie then looks up at her.

"This is so romantic..." Jessie looks around again, taking in all the memory of the place surrounding her.

"Yeah, and I never thought I would be sharing this romantic moment with you." Alex chuckles, and Jessie laughs. The blonde playfully hits her friend in the right shoulder. "Hey, that's not very romantic anymore." Alex mockingly warns her friend.

"Can you imagine how it would feel like, to be dancing in the center of this ballroom, looking beautiful in your Vera Wang wedding dress, and swaying in the arms of the one person you love? I bet it's magical..." Jessie stares off in space again. Alex smiles at Jessie.

"I think so too..." Alex says. She hears Jessie's deep sigh. The blonde turns to leave. "Have you found her?" Alex continues, making Jessie stop on her tracks.

"No."

"I don't think Singer & Pincus would be so hard to find, considering that law firm's reputation." Alex comments, and Jessie turns to face her again. The said law firm located at the 14th floor of the Empire State Building is not very far from where they live: the Grabler Building Condominiums at 38 Laight Street. Alex had, in fact, dropped by once after one exhausting day of job hunting, but was informed that one of the partners in the said firm, one of her bestfriends, was out of the country. She was a bit offended that the said friend hadn't bothered to call her, it's been two weeks since she left her number with the secretary, but considering her friend's busy schedule, she let it go.

"I've never really started looking." Jessie admits. This time, it's Alex who sighs.

"Isn't that the reason why we came to New York?"

"I'm scared."

"Of what exactly?"

"Of what will happen... Of how things will turn out. I don't even know what I'm doing in New York anymore. Can I just show up and disrupt her life? That wouldn't be fair..."

"Then maybe you shouldn't have left Long Beach." Alex stares at Jessie's eyes, then walks past by her.

"I just don't know what good this will bring."

"But you owe it to yourself, Jess. Or you'll forever be restless." Alex continues walking away, while Jessie stood still, watching Alex exit the grand ballroom...

At the large deck of QE2, Reewa holds her celphone closer to her left ear, straining to hear what the other person was saying on the other line. The voice of the man she was talking to was crackling due to the bad reception.

"_There are some important matters that I really need to discuss with her. Problems came up, and we're in chaos. Just tell her to call me in the office or in my celphone as soon as you dock somewhere with good reception, okay?" _The man pleads. He tried to contact Katie but couldn't reach her; lucky Reewa had signal. At least she could tell his law firm partner to call him soon. He realized that talking to Katie now would be useless since he could barely hear what Reewa was saying.

"But she's not with me." Reewa replies.

"_I know. But I remember you mentioning something about boarding the QE2."_

"Tad, I am in the QE2." Reewa frowns.

"_So is Katie."_

"Katie's here… In Queen Elizabeth II?" Reewa frowns even more.

"_You guys didn't know you're boarding the same ship?" _As if Reewa's frown was contagious, a frown forms in Tad's face.

"No. She was all secretive about it… Wait… Who's with her?" Reewa waits for Tad's response, but Tad falls into silence on the other line. Reewa hears more crackling.

"_I'm sorry, I can't---" _Tad was cut off, and Reewa hears beeping, signaling that she lost Tad.

"Hello, Tad? Tad! Shit…" Reewa pulls the celphone away from her ear and looks at the LCD. She still has signal, which means that Tad purposely hung up. She dials Tad's number, but couldn't reach him. Reewa keeps trying anyway.

"Reewa? Reewa Banks?" The voice calling out her name made Reewa turn around. The face of the woman in front of her looks really familiar…

"Oh my God, Alex!" Reewa wraps her arms around Alex.

"Small world." Alex smiles at Reewa when they pull away.

"And it's getting smaller. Do you know who else is in this ship?" Reewa grins at Alex, not realizing that Alex has company.

"The new Prime Minister of England? Yeah, I just saw him eating at the restaurant a while ago."

"I'm interviewing him, but I'm not talking about him." Reewa looks excited. Jessie, who's standing invisible behind Alex, was unnoticed.

"Wow, really? That's so cool. Anyway, you remember Jessie, right?" Alex turns to Jessie and finally, Reewa sees her. She smiles at the blonde, who is looking rather shy and quiet.

"Of course, Aiden's girlfriend." Reewa was almost sure. Alex and Jessie exchanged looks.

"Uhm, I was. But we broke up." Jessie and Reewa, back in their days at Stanford, didn't really get to hang out that much. Reewa's bestfriends with both Katie and Alex, whom Jessie's both close to. But there's nothing much that connects her to Reewa. Reewa's extrovert personality made her popular to everyone, the exact opposite of Jessie.

It was Jessie's relationship with Alex's younger brother Aiden, who is of the same age as her, that connected her to Alex, and Katie, who was then in a relationship with Alex's older brother, Damien. Alex was easy to get along with, while Katie, although fits perfectly in the social circle, was always mysterious and preferred to maintain a low profile. But low profile did not seem to fit Katie Singer, even until now.

"Oh… I'm sorry." Reewa looks apologetically at Jessie.

"That's okay." Jessie smiles.

Pause…

"Anyway, as I was saying, this world is getting smaller. Katie Singer is here." Reewa turns back to Alex.

"Really?" Alex looks excited, and smiles widely. Realizing that Jessie was standing beside her, Alex throws her a brief look, and noticed that the blonde looks suddenly uncomfortable. "I mean, are you sure?"

"Yeah. Isn't it great? It's like an unplanned reunion or something. Katie and I see each other everyday, but we have no idea that we will both be here. I'm going to go see her, you guys want to come?" Reewa, looking so thrilled by the unexpected reunion with her bestfriends, pulls Alex's hand before Alex could even say yes. Jessie had no choice but to follow them.

Alex, while being dragged by Reewa, looks helplessly at Jessie. Jessie knew she isn't ready to see Katie now, but finds herself trailing after Reewa and Alex. Realizing that they didn't know which cabin Katie was in, Reewa discreetly bribes one of the apprentices of the ship to spill her room number, to their favor.

Reewa grabs Alex's hand again, and this time, also grabbing Jessie with her other hand, successfully pulling both the brunette and the blonde to the cabins. Jessie begins to panic as her heartbeat seems to overlap. She had never felt so nervous in her life, not like this…

"I bet Katie would be so glad to see you." Reewa smiles at Jessie, which made the pharmacologist blush. Reewa knew how closer Katie is to Jessie, even closer than Alex.

"Reewa, I don't think---" Jessie was prepared to offer an excuse just to get off Reewa's tight grasp, but she didn't realize how late it was. Reewa lets go of Alex's hand to knock on the cabin door, the cabin just next to Jessie's, and unconsciously remained holding Jessie's, unfortunately for Jessie. It did not take very long when the door finally opens, and Jessie didn't realize that she froze to where she stood, anticipating the overwhelming reunion that's about to come…

Or didn't come…

Jessie found herself staring at a stunning blonde, who, despite the lack of make up (and clothes for that matter), a sheet of a luxurious blanket covering her body showing her bare and smooth shoulders, looks so beautiful, that even the angels in heaven should feel insecure.

_Please tell me we got the wrong room… _Jessie silently prays…

"Ysabella Cage?" Alex and Reewa spoke in duet, both looked surprised. But they seem to know the other blonde. The quick conversation that took place was vague. Jessie did not understand a thing. All she knows was that there was a part in her chest that was hurting. This is exactly how painful she imagined her reunion with Katie would be like, but seeing this Ysabella Cage open Katie's door felt worse…

This is exactly what she feared…

x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

"She's our friend from junior high." Alex tells Jessie, who was sitting beside her as they occupied a table at the restaurant when they meet for dinner that night. Jessie wasn't asking, but Alex felt the need to inform her friend anyway, as to who this Ysabella is. She's not dumb not to notice that Jessie had been awfully quiet since Ysabella had opened the door for them. They didn't get to see Katie (she was in deep slumber at the time), but Ysabella promised to meet them during dinner. Jessie wasn't really into it, but couldn't complain. It wouldn't be easy explaining to Reewa, so to save herself the headache of going into details, she decided to come along.

"The STRAIGHTEST one in junior high…" Reewa still couldn't believe seeing Ysabella in Katie's room.

"Then Ysabella's father was appointed as consul in Italy, so they moved." Alex continued, hoping that Reewa would stop giving comments that obviously bothers Jessie.

"You know, this really baffles me." Reewa continues.

"Everything baffles you."

The voice, which is neither Alex's or Jessie's, made the three of them turn their heads to the direction of the voice, and found Katie Singer standing by their table, smiling at them. Ysabella was standing beside her. Jessie stares, in awe. Katie looks the same, but was more mature. She had always thought of Katie's voice as sexy, now, it was even sexier…

"Katie!" Alex jumps out of her seat and gives Katie a hug.

"Good to see you, Alex." Katie was amused by Alex's enthusiasm.

"I dropped by your office two weeks ago, you were out of town. You didn't call me!" Alex mockingly glares at Katie.

"My secretary lost your number. I'm sorry." Katie chuckles.

"Fire her." Alex jokes.

"No I won't."

"Good answer. I missed you, Katie." Alex hugs Katie again.

"I missed you too, Alex." Katie replies. Reewa smiles at Katie and Ysabella. When Alex finally lets Katie go, Katie turns her head at Jessie's direction, and smiles.

"Hello Jessie…" Katie fixes her eyes on the blonde that she hadn't seen in years.

"Hi Katie…" Jessie smiles back. She isn't expecting it, but Katie bends down and gives her a hug, giving her heart a jolt. The feel of Katie's arms around her was so comfortable…

"I missed you more than I missed these guys..." Katie whispers in her ear.

"I missed you…" Jessie couldn't explain the joy in heart upon hearing Katie say those words. But those feelings were immediately replaced with pain upon seeing Ysabella Cage.

It was a very long night for Jessie. Reewa, Alex, Katie and Ysabella had so much to talk about, and she felt out of place. The four of them had so much history together. Ysabella, being Reewa and Alex's friend from junior high, and Katie, being friends with Reewa and Alex in highschool. She wondered if Katie and Ysabella would have hit it off back then if Ysabella didn't move to Italy with her family.

Jessie felt so jealous as she watched the two of them sit side by side, giving each other a playful nudge every now and then. She learned that Ysabella came back to America, particularly in New York, after graduating at the best culinary arts school in Europe, and started her own restaurant business, with her as the head chef. Javu's is one of the most popular restaurants in Manhattan. Her father, the consul, came back also, with their family, and became governor of Illinois.

She regretted coming to dinner…

Jessie lay quietly on her bed inside her cabin, thinking of everything that had happened that day. It was more than she could take. She knows she shouldn't be thinking about it too much; tomorrow would be her meeting with that English client, and she couldn't focus if all she could ever think about is Katie.

_But I can't stop thinking about Katie… _If she could, she would have stopped years ago.

And her reverie was broken upon hearing the laughter coming from the other side of the wall. Jessie closed her eyes, trying to block all-too-familiar sound of Katie's laugh, and Ysabella's. When it didn't work, she buries her head under the eiderdown pillow, but it didn't work either. It's almost giving her a headache; the sound of laughter and the thought of Katie laughing with another woman that is not her. Jessie knew she couldn't stand another minute of it, so she left her cabin, and knocked at the door of Alex's own cabin…

"Jessie?" Alex rubs her eyes off of sleep, and finds her friend who looks dejected…

"Can we exchange rooms?" Jessie pleads… Alex stares at her, and after a while, nods. She has no idea why Jessie wanted her room, but when she occupied Jessie's, Alex finally realized why…


	3. Vin Noir

**A/N: **_**Looks like I'm gonna need another week to finish this fic… Hahaha… But don't worry, I will!**_

**CHAPTER 2 VIN NOIR**

Jessie had been staring at her cup of coffee for an hour now. It's been a week since they boarded off Queen Elizabeth II. So far, that meeting with the English client went great, other than that, everything was a disaster. She was blowing the stray blonde hair from her face when Alex entered the dining room, and watched her across the breakfast counter. The blonde barely paid attention at her friend's presence…

"It wouldn't hurt to smile once in a while, you know." Alex tries to lighten Jessie up. She knew what causes her friend to act this way, it doesn't take a genius to notice that. Jessie merely looks up, slightly smiles, but continues staring at her cup of coffee later on. Everyday is a long day…

"Ready to go to work?" Jessie asks.

"Yup. I'm really excited." Alex grins, then walks towards the table and occupies the chair opposite Jessie. "Can I have your coffee? 'Coz you don't really seem like you're going to drink it." Alex, not wanting to end the conversation so soon, which had been happening a lot lately, tries to extend it as long as she could.

"Sure." Jessie pushes the cup towards Alex, who gladly accepts it. Alex sips on the cup, and almost spits it out. It was really cold…

"Jess?" Alex looks at her with so much concern.

"What?"

"You have to let it go." Alex finally speaks her mind. She just couldn't bear seeing Jessie like this. She had never seen Jessie so miserable before.

"I'm fine…"

"No you're not. Look, I know how much it hurts right now. I can't blame you for feeling that way, but I can't let you drown yourself in sorrow either. I'm sorry that it sucks, Jessie, but you have to let it go… Maybe it's just not meant to be."

"I know… It's just… I couldn't help but blame myself for not saying it before." Jessie sighs. "Maybe I'll spend the rest of my life wondering what could have been… I guess I'll always wonder whether she could have loved me back… And I'll always wonder how it would feel…" A bittersweet smile plasters in Jessie's face.

_If you only knew, Jess… _Alex could have easily told Jessie that, in fact, falling in love with her was the reason Katie left Stanford. But she knew she was not in the position to do so. It was a secret Katie told her in confidence. Besides, it would seem immaterial now, since Katie had obviously moved on. If Jessie wasn't so naïve back then, she would have recognized the kind of feeling she has for Katie soon enough to stop Katie from leaving. But she didn't. Who else is there to blame?

"I'm sorry, Jess…" Alex whispers unconsciously.

"Don't be…" Jessie pauses, her mind wandering back in the days at Stanford… "I always knew that what I had with Katie was special. We just clicked, you know. But I had so many distractions, I barely noticed it… And then she was gone… And I felt as if a part of me died…" Jessie leans back on the chair for support… Everytime she goes back to that day, it makes her feel nauseous.

Hearing Jessie talk like this makes Alex want to cry… She gets up from her chair, and goes around the table to give Jessie a hug. Wrapping her arms around the lonely blonde, she finally makes Jessie smile.

"You'll be alright." Alex pulls away, and smiles at Jessie.

"I don't know how I could have survived New York without you, Alex. Thanks for being here." Jessie smiles back.

"That's okay. I love New York." Alex grins.

"Okay, you have to go now. You don't want to be late on your first day."

"You're probably right. See you at dinner." Alex gives Jessie one last hug, and heads out to the door. Alex had been long gone when Jessie realized that she had been staring at the closed door far too long. She sighs.

"Arra Jessica Sammler, you need to relax." Jessie tells herself, and decides to head out herself.

Jessie had been walking around New York City in her fur coat. It was very cold outside, but she's not very excited to go home. Alex wouldn't be home until a few hours, and staying at their unit just drives her nuts. The silence forces her to think about the long days they had at the Queen Elizabeth II. She could barely focus and had to try her best to get the thought of Ysabella's arms around Katie out of her head. She didn't get to see much of Katie, but often hears her talking to her girlfriend at night, which later on prompted Jessie to beg Alex to exchange rooms permanently.

It all seems useless now: her moving to New York, finding Katie. The lawyer obviously had so much going on in her life. Alex had given the dirty blonde their address and their phone number, but Katie neither dropped by nor called.

_Why am I still here? _Jessie silently asks herself. It was unlikely of her not to have a back-up plan. But coming to New York, she never thought of having one, maybe because she unconsciously believed that things will turn out the way she imagined it would be…

_Katie running into my arms and telling me she couldn't stop thinking about me… _Jessie thought again… That was her preferred scenario; not seeing a gorgeous, half-naked chef opening Katie's door for her. It was beyond her nightmare. Would leaving New York be a solution? Jessie knows it isn't. But staying wouldn't be easy either.

Friendship… Maybe she could have it with Katie again. But would it be enough? Of course, Jessie knows it wouldn't be. She only has two choices: have Katie in her life as a friend, or not have her in her life at all. It's a dilemma, but Jessie knew she prefers the former.

Jessie had been walking for so long, she didn't realize she was already in Times Square. It was getting dark, and people are walking in all directions. It was time to go home, so Jessie stops at the sidewalk and was about to hail a cab when she sees an older woman standing by the sidewalk near her, as if she was intending to cross the street but she was having a hard time. Jessie thinks for a while, looks at the shoveled snow in the street, and walks to rescue the older woman, and helps her cross the street. When the older woman smiles at her and thanks her, Jessie smiles back, and watches her walk away.

"I almost forgot how perfect you are."

The voice made Jessie turn around like lightning. She knows that voice perfectly, and she was right. Her eyes stop to meet another pair of eyes: stunning and expressive green ones…

"I assume you remember me?" Katie jokes when Jessie did not say a word. Jessie visibly blushes, and she smiles.

"Katie Singer, right?" Jessie plays along. Katie laughs and smiles back at her. They stood in silence. Katie walks closer, her hands in the pockets of her coat. Surprisingly, she's not carrying her briefcase at the moment.

"What are you doing outside in this weather, Jess? Well, besides rescuing those people in need, what are you doing?" Katie jokes again.

"Just taking a walk, I guess." Jessie was serious, but Katie thought it was funny, that she giggled.

"You seem to have developed a weird pastime over the years, Ms. Sammler." Katie lifts her right hand and pulls the left sleeve of her coat to glance at her wrist watch. It was 7:00 p.m. "Hmm… I think I have to go. I'll see you around, Jess." Katie smiles and turns around. Jessie watches her walk away.

_See you around? When would that be? _Before Jessie could answer herself, she just realized she was already calling after Katie.

"How about coffee?" Jessie remained standing and waited for Katie to turn around, which the dirty blonde did.

"Coffee?" Katie replied, she didn't exactly sound like she was asking, but in fact, it's as if she's considering it.

"Yeah… I've got nothing else to do, and… Well, if you have time, I mean---"

"Okay. I suggest Vin Noir." Katie turns around again and starts walking, obliging Jessie to start walking and follow her.

For a few minutes, they walked side by side. It was a quiet walk, slightly uncomfortable for Jessie, and so-so for Katie. The staff of the coffee shop turned to them with smiles as they entered. Apparently, this isn't Katie's first time here. They were assisted to a table, one which seems to be the best place in the room. Sitting opposite her, Katie did not even bother to look at the menu. She smiled at the cute waitress, and Jessie could swear she saw Katie wink at said waitress. Jessie then immediately buried her face behind the menu when both Katie and the waitress turned to her for her order.

"Uhm… I'll just have a cup of Bailey's Irish Coffee and a chocolate chip muffin, thank you." Jessie says dismissively without bothering to look at the waitress. The waitress left their table, and Jessie put the menu down. "You didn't order." She comments.

"They know what I want." Katie shrugs.

Pause…

"How's Ysabella?"

"Ysabella?" Katie throws an incredulous look at her.

"Yeah, your girlfriend." Jessie confirms. Deep inside, she wished Katie would at least deny it…

"Ysabella's not my girlfriend." Katie looks amused. Jessie almost grinned, but realized she would look suspicious. But her moment of ecstasy was early shattered when Katie continued.

"I don't do relationships." Katie leans back, looking comfortable on the chair. The very little left of Jessie's hope, on the other hand, was completely obliterated by this statement from Katie.

Now she wondered what hurts more: Katie with Ysabella, or Katie saying that she doesn't do relationships? It completely gave Jessie a different impression of Katie: detached and uncaring.

_But that's not the Katie that I knew… _

"You look shocked." Katie says in a rather amused tone.

"I just… I realized you've changed a lot." Jessie looks up at Katie. Katie smiles.

"Don't we all?"

"I didn't." Jessie says firmly. Katie leans over the table and stares at Jessie closely, making the blonde blush.

"Or maybe, you just don't realize that people do. It's ironic, but change is the only constant thing in the world. People change all the time, Jess, and for two reasons: one, either they've learned enough that they want to, or they've been hurt enough that they have to." Katie stares back into Jessie, holds the blonde's gaze, and then leans back on her chair again.

"Which one are you?" Jessie asks, her own feelings getting the best of her. What had Katie learned, or had she been hurt, she desperately wants to know.

Pause… The waitress came back with their order. Jessie starts sipping from her cup of Irish Coffee, while Katie watched her, and purposely changed the topic.

"I didn't mean to shock you with this whole Ysabella thing." Katie speaks. Jessie turns to Katie again, confused.

"What are you talking about?" Jessie asks, and Katie laughs at herself.

"Well, the last time you saw me, I was dating boys…" Katie laughs again. Jessie smiles and realized that 'her' Katie is very attractive to both sexes now.

"Yes, you were." Jessie laughs with her.

"How about you, Jess, are you married?" Katie asks and lifts her own cup of coffee into her mouth. Jessie could have dropped the cup if it wasn't for her strong grip, so she put the cup down to be safe.

"No I'm not." Jessie sounds defensive.

"Why not? Men wouldn't think twice just to have you as their wife." Sure, Katie sounds flattering, but Jessie couldn't seem to appreciate what the lawyer was saying. It's as if the dirty blonde was throwing her to the wolves.

"It's… It never really crossed my mind…" Jessie lied. Although sometimes, she dreams about marrying a certain someone; that someone unfortunately, doesn't do relationships.

"Really? I've always thought you're the marrying type." Katie's face lightens up as if what she just heard was a joke.

"Well, thanks for stereotyping me." Jessie mocks annoyance.

"I'm sorry, but you do look like a trophy wife." Katie flashes her winning smile that never fails to elicit one from Jessie.

"Oh, because I'm blonde like a Stepford wife?" Jessie still pretends to be affronted, but couldn't wipe the smile off her face.

"No, because you're perfect." Katie says smoothly; she sounds sincere, but she looks too relaxed. For a while, Jessie did not respond, trying to read if there was something behind those lines, but there was none. The compliment Katie gave her was flattering, but for Katie, it's as if it was very ordinary…

Katie's probably just complimenting a friend…

_Who am I kidding? _Jessie looks away from Katie, pretending to be excited with her chocolate chip muffin. It's wishful thinking, Jessie's very aware of that.

"What would make you want to marry someone?" Jessie asks without look at Katie.

"Probably nothing, 'coz I'll never get married." Katie says with conviction and sips in her own cup of espresso. Jessie stares at her and looks away again before Katie catches her staring.

"Don't you ever dream that someday you'll find the right one?" Jessie says in a rather lower tone. Katie was amused again.

"That's a stretch. I don't know." Katie grins, thinking that Jessie must be really joking.

"That's right. You'll never know until that time comes." Jessie sounds like she's trying to convince Katie, but the lawyer is not that easy to convince.

"Is that why you didn't marry Aiden, because he wasn't the 'right one'?" Katie quotes, mocking Jessie.

"Yes, I can say that he wasn't. We had to go our separate ways."

"Really? I always thought you guys were right for each other." Katie smiles, which somehow breaks Jessie's heart… This conversation makes her feel as if Katie never cared about her at all…

_Or maybe she did, just not the way I wanted her to…_

"Look, I'm sorry that things had to end between you and Aiden… I knew how much you loved him." Katie looks apologetically at Jessie. Meanwhile, Jessie is trying not to look annoyed at Katie. She doesn't really want to discuss Aiden, of all things or people, why does Katie have to?

"Do you?" Jessie struggles to contain the irritation she felt with Katie's assumptions. She doesn't have the right to tell her how she feels because obviously, Katie has no clue.

Katie did not miss the trace of irritation in Jessie's voice, but she wasn't daunted, not even a bit.

"It wasn't hard to tell by the way you looked at him back then, Jessie." Katie's voice was calm, normal. She didn't even blink while waiting for Jessie's response.

"Like the way you looked at Damien?" Jessie snaps. She knew it was below the belt. She anticipated Katie walking out on her after what she said, but to her surprise, a smile shows in Katie's face again. Jessie wondered what could be so amusing now.

"You mean, you didn't love Aiden?" Katie leans across the table, her eyes boring through Jessie's. The smile in her face turned into a playful grin, challenging the blonde to answer.

"What?"

"If I loved Damien, I wouldn't have left." Katie leans back against the chair again, crossing her arms. The current tension could be felt by both of them, but Katie couldn't really care about the cause of it. It seems to her that Jessie is just over-reacting about this whole Aiden thing.

"Then why did you?" The fierce look in Jessie's eyes was of course, noticed by Katie again. Jessie never wore that look so often; the blonde had always subdued her feelings.

"For some reason that seems so stupid now." Katie looked impassive.

"How stupid is it that you couldn't tell me?"

"SO STUPID that I gave up Stanford." Katie's words came so strong that Jessie felt the weight of it. Katie dreamed of attending Stanford practically since she was born, that's why she herself was surprised of Katie's sudden decision to leave Stanford without even saying goodbye. The dirty blonde just disappeared, vanished like a bubble, leaving no traces behind.

Pause…

Then a celphone starts ringing. Jessie was sure it wasn't hers, then Katie pulled out her celphone from her pocket…

"Excuse me… Hello?... Yes… No, I didn't forget, I'm just hanging out with a good friend… Okay, I'll see you… Bye…" Katie hangs up after the short conversation. She was running late for her date. She smiles at Jessie, looking smooth and calm. And somehow, Jessie could feel what is already coming.

"You have to go?" Jessie asks without looking at Katie. She didn't want Katie to see how disappointed she was that this night has to end so soon, despite the brewing tension. Katie sighs.

"Yeah… I wish I didn't have to but---"

"It's okay. I have to go home anyway." Jessie forces a smile.

"Okay…" Katie gets up from her seat, leaves a couple of bills on the table, and gives Jessie a hug before leaving.

Jessie was left alone in the table, staring at the empty space opposite her, when she felt the familiar presence beside her again… When she turns her head, she sees Katie smiling down at her.

"There's this gala, a charity benefit coming up… Would you like to come along?"

"What?" Jessie wasn't sure if she was imagining it or not, but is Katie actually asking her to go to this charity ball?

"A gala… Would you like to come?" Katie waits patiently for Jessie's reply, which was a mere nod. Before Jessie realized it, Katie had left again, and she's going with Katie to a charity ball two nights away from now…


	4. The Manhattan Society Charity Benefit

**CHAPTER 3 THE MANHATTAN SOCIETY CHARITY BENEFIT**

"I think you should wear this." Alex grins at Jessie as she lifts a beautiful blue dress in front of her. Jessie stares in awe, and reaches for the dress. She's very sure it was a perfect fit. The two were standing inside a Ralph Lauren shop in Manhattan during their day-off.

"Wow…" Jessie's eyes marveled on the fabric.

"Perfect to make someone fall in love with you. I'm pretty sure Katie would have to find a new set of eyeballs 'coz her eyes are about to fall out of their sockets." Alex winks playfully at her friend, making Jessie laugh, then shakes her head. The smile lingers on her face, and Alex was glad to see her smiling. Jessie had a lost look in her eyes as she stares at the blue dress she was holding…

"Thanks, but I doubt it…" Jessie sighs. Alex gives her a light tap on the right shoulder.

"Don't be so negative."

"It's not even a date, and I'm not sure why I'm looking for the perfect dress when I have so many dresses available at the apartment." Jessie tries to sound nonchalant, but Alex knows her too well not to notice that she's disappointed.

"Exactly, Jessie, it's not a date, more reason to make Katie drool." Alex says with so much determination, and Jessie laughs again.

"For what, so I could sleep with her like those other girls for a night and move on? That isn't exactly what I want." Jessie had already told Alex about the conversation that she had with Katie at Vin Noir; the fact that Katie, according to her, doesn't do relationships, and that she'll never get married. Those things saddened Jessie, of course.

Alex watched as Jessie's shoulders fall in defeat.

"So are you telling me that because she refuses to grow up, you're giving up?" Alex challenges Jessie.

"I'd be lying if I'd say that I'm not looking forward to this event. In fact, I dream about it since the day she asked me to go, and I couldn't wait to go to this gala with Katie, it's just…"

Pause…

"I just think that I already lost the battle. What I want, she obviously doesn't want. I love her, and you know that. But it's a two-way street. It's hard to accept that the one person I'm willing to give my heart to does not, and will never feel the same… I'm fighting for nothing, so I might as well give up and be contented with what she can offer." Jessie signs again. Now she's having second thoughts about buying this gorgeous dress. Impressing Katie just wouldn't work. It's a dead end.

"Is that what you think?"

"She said it herself, Alex. She's apparently bored with romance. It's hopeless to dream that I could have that with her someday."

"Jessie, I know I already told you to let it go, but… She invited you to this gala, okay? And she's still human, so it doesn't mean she always will be that vain and stupid." Alex tried to joke, but Jessie didn't laugh.

Pause…

"I want to be with Katie, that's the very reason why I came here. Maybe I'm delusional to think that somehow, I can make her fall in love with me, but it's obviously going to be useless. She's there in front of me, but still, she's too far. I can't reach her, and I can't touch her. She sleeps with and gets whomever she wants whenever she wants."

"Maybe she's still searching for someone who can make her stop." Alex gives Jessie a reassuring look. Jessie sighs.

"Do you know how simple my dream is? What I want is very simple: to go home at night and find her in our house waiting for me, spend dinner with her, discuss how both our day had been, watch an old movie on tv with my head rested on her shoulder, and fall asleep in her arms… But no matter how simple that dream is, it can never happen… She's the most unobtainable person in the world…" Jessie reached for the blue dress Alex was holding, attempting to put it back. Alex tightened her grip, which made Jessie raise an eyebrow.

"You're not going to put this dress down."

"I'm not buying any dress, Alex."

"Yes you are. Katie turned out to be this heartbreaking asshole, and I feel sorry for her by the way, and we don't really know why she asked you to go to this gala of all people, but, whether this is a date or not, you have to look your best, and make this Singer see what she's been missing, alright?" Alex spoke like a coach. Jessie was looking back at her in amusement.

"You just called your friend an asshole." Jessie reminds Alex.

"Yeah, I read that from a tabloid and actually believed it." Alex shrugs, then turns to Jessie again. "But don't tell her that I said that." Alex continued, and Jessie laughed.

"I won't, as long as you're nice to me." Jessie mocks warning.

"You're threatening me now, Sammler?" Alex widens her eyes mockingly.

"Are you threatened?"

"No." Alex and Jessie playfully hit each other, before heading off to fit the dress, and later on, paid for it…

Later that night at Manhattan Society Charity Benefit… Tad stood in a corner of the reception hall, holding a glass of wine in his right had. He looks as if he's trying to avoid talking to people…

"You came." The female voice doesn't sound surprised. The person whomever that voice belongs to sounds as if she actually expected Tad's arrival. Tad turns around with a fake smile.

"I don't really have a choice, do I?" Tad plasters an even wider, and faker, smile. Katie Singer grins, then she turns around while standing in front of her firm partner and friend, fashioning a really gorgeous black gown. Tad watches his friend with boredom, and sips from his glass of wine.

"Cute." Tad says without enthusiasm.

"That's not exactly how to impress a lady, Tad." Katie jokes.

"I don't intend to impress you, Kat." Tad rolls his eyes.

"Hey, cheer up. Don't act like you don't want to be here." Katie lightly nudged Tad. Tad sighs.

"You're right. I don't. You're here already, why can't I stay home and rest? You're the one who likes parties, not me." Although both hardworking, Tad doesn't have time for fun, unlike Katie.

"Because our firm supports this charity, and we both have to make an appearance. What are people gonna say if one of us doesn't show up? They'd think you're too arrogant to---"

"Fine, fine." Tad says dismissively.

"And you'll see." There was that predatory look in Katie's face again, which made Tad narrow his eyes on her.

"What are you cooking?" Tad asks with suspicion.

"What? I'm not cooking anything, they have chefs for that." Katie smiles innocently, and walks away from that.

"Katie, I told you I don't need a date. I don't want a date! I could get a date IF I WANT TO!" Tad whines rather loudly, making people turn their heads on him that he had to look down to avoid their gazes, but Katie ignored him and walked to a group of people not so far away from them. Tad lets out a deep sigh.

At that moment, a blonde was walking nervously into the same reception hall, where the gala was taking place. She looks around and feels her heartbeat with her right hand; the heartbeat was overlapping again. This seems to be a very big event, even bigger than Jessie had imagined. As she looked around, it's not hard to notice that the people in tuxedos and gowns are not very ordinary. Their designer clothes say it all. Walking on the red carpet is not very easy either, but it's not really the reason for her frantic heartbeat…

_Jessie, breathe… _Jessie tells herself, she lets out three deep breaths. She then heads to the entrance and gives her name. After finding her name on the list, she was let inside, and she descended the wide, red-carpeted stairs…

The enormous reception hall was filled with people, looking so amazing. Jessie wondered how she would find Katie in this thick crowd, where everybody looks so beautiful…

"Miss Singer? If you would permit me, I would like to discuss everything about my business tonight, if you don't mind." Katie suddenly feels a slight tap in her left arm. She finally turns her head away from the stairs, where her eyes had been locked for quite a while, and shifts her gaze to the potential client standing beside her, a middle-aged, good-looking man engaged in the real estate business.

"Oh, I'm sorry, what?" Katie says in the most polite way possible.

"We can discuss our future partnership tonight, if you have time." The professional-looking businessman smiles at her, which Katie returns.

"I would love to, but I have other plans. Would it be okay, Mr. Vanderbilt, if we meet in my office, say, tomorrow at 10 o'clock?" Katie's charming smile definitely won the businessman over.

"No problem, Miss Singer, I will drop by your office tomorrow."

"Thank you." Katie then turns her head back to the stairs, where the nervous blonde still stood. She enjoyed watching the other girl for a while, before Katie actually made steps towards the stairs, and from where the blonde stood, Jessie finally saw her…

Katie stops in front of Jessie, and looks up at her with a smile. Jessie returns the smile.

"I was wondering if you were coming after that senseless row we had at Vin Noir." The smile remains in Katie's face. Jessie could feel the warmth in her face. How she wished she wasn't blushing…

"I said yes, didn't I?" Jessie felt relieved that she didn't stutter. Talking to Katie Singer had never been this awkward for her.

"Well…" Katie pauses; a charming smile was dancing in her face. Jessie doesn't really have any idea what to say. Then, Katie continues.

"You look amazing." Katie walks closer to Jessie, reaches for the blonde's right hand with her left, and leads her down to the reception hall.

The contact made Jessie's heart skip…

Katie leads Jessie to a table. On their way to find one, different people couldn't help but throw them a curious look, and most of them gave Jessie a smile; a smile too pleasant which made her blush even more. She felt as if these people could read her feelings.

"You look a bit flushed. Are you feeling okay?" Katie asks in concern that jolted Jessie out of her trance. She didn't even realize that she and Katie are occupying a table already.

"What?" Jessie's obviously not being herself at the moment, and the look on her face made Katie let out a short laugh.

"Never mind." Katie shakes her head.

"Uhm… Did I say something funny?" Jessie asks.

"No, it's just…" Katie pauses to give Jessie a glass of drink that she ordered from the cute wine waitress, which obviously didn't escape Katie's eyes because the lawyer gave the said waitress an unusually warm smile, to Jessie's displeasure. Katie seems to have a thing for waitresses because she could swear Katie winked at that one in Vin Noir.

"Thanks…" Jessie's eyes remains looking intently at Katie.

"Don't be bothered by the looks that you're getting." Katie turns back to her with a smile. Jessie frowns. Surely, Katie could read her mind, she always had. She's not bothered by the looks she's getting, it's just that Jessie isn't really the most confident person in the world. Katie always had advised her to drop all her insecurities, but it wasn't an easy task to do. Jessie's normally shy.

"What are you talking about?" Jessie acts as if she doesn't know what Katie's talking about. Could Katie actually notice that her heart is trying to jump out from her chest?

Katie gives her a rather suspicious look, and smiles again.

"The flavor-of-the-week look."

"Excuse me?"

"Don't pretend that you did not notice the stares and the smiles… These people are thinking that you're my new girl for this week or something. I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable." Katie says in apology.

"It's not making me uncomfortable." Jessie smiles back. Why would she be bothered by people thinking she's with Katie? That's exactly what she wants… Except for the flavor-of-the-week part, of course.

"Are you sure?" Katie narrows her eyes playfully.

"Yeah."

"Why are you still blushing then?" Katie grins. Jessie felt her face grow warmer. Katie laughs.

"I was kidding. Now you're really blushing." Katie grins again. Jessie even turned redder.

Pause…

"Have you been taking a lot of different girls to every charity benefit that you go to?" Jessie asks nonchalantly. She wonders whether there was a reason why this circle of people generated this flavor-of-the-week idea…

Instead of answering, Katie merely shrugs, which as a result gave Jessie the idea that maybe she shouldn't have asked the question in the first place. Now, she isn't sure if she wants to hear it directly from Katie just to confirm her suspicion.

When Jessie looks up, her eyes locked with Katie's…

"Stop staring at me." Jessie jokes.

"I'm not staring at you." Katie says rather suavely.

"Those people staring at me don't make me uncomfortable. But YOU staring at me is another thing." The tension that Jessie had been feeling since her arrival at the gala was suddenly lifted. It couldn't be denied that in the years that had gone by, she and Katie had grown a bit apart. But spending time with Katie again, it sort of brings back the feel of what it used to be between them. And she loves feeling that way…

"You didn't have a problem with staring marathons before." Katie reminds her; it was supposed to be a joke, but that reminder made both of them shut up for a while. There was sudden awkwardness again, but it was more on Jessie's part. After a few seconds, a mischievous grin was plastered on Katie's face, as usual.

"That's because you always looked away first." Obviously, Jessie was the first to look away this time. The grin suddenly went missing from Katie's face, but for only a few seconds, then she was smiling again.

"Yeah…"

Pause…

"About what happened at Vin Noir---" Jessie says with sincerity, but before she could finish her apology, she was interrupted.

"It was stupid, I'm sorry."

"No, what I want to say is---"

"There you are!" Katie interrupts Jessie for the second time as she gets up from the chair, smiling at someone coming from behind Jessie. Jessie turns her head around to get a look of who's coming, and her eyes fell upon a good-looking guy, who appears to be feeling so crabby at the moment.

"Tad, this is my friend Jessie, and Jessie, this is my friend Tad." Katie introduced the two, who shook hands and smiled at each other. Tad gave Jessie a pleasant smile, but when he turned back to Katie, the smile vanished. Katie rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, I got to go talk to someone over there, so, will you do me a favor and keep Jessie company?" Katie grins at Tad, and this time, it was Tad who rolled his eyes. He shrugs, and replaces Katie in her seat as Katie excuses herself from both of them, leaving a confused Jessie and a bored Tad behind.

As Katie made her way into the crowd with Jessie's eyes following her, Tad and Jessie fell in silence. It was after a few minutes that Tad was forced to finally speak.

"Pretty boring party, don't you think?" Tad jokes, and Jessie smiles in amusement.

"Well, all I can say is it's not really my thing."

"Me too." Tad smiles back.

Pause…

"So, you're Katie's friend?" Tad, although isn't too happy about this set up, decides to not ignore Jessie, because the girl seems nice, and Tad realized that he shouldn't be rude. He'll just deal with Katie later.

"Uhm, yeah."

"If you live around here, why haven't I met you before?" Tad wondered, because he and Katie usually hang out with the same circle of people.

"Actually, it's only recently that I moved from California." Jessie answers.

"Oh, so you went to Stanford with her?" The information stirred Tad's interest.

"You could say that. I'm a year behind, but yeah, we did hang out with the same people." Jessie smiles.

"You know Alex and Reewa?"

"Of course. You know them?" Jessie slightly frowns. Alex came to New York with her.

"I know Reewa. She works at the New York Times. I haven't really met Alex but her name always came up in my previous conversations with Katie back at our schooldays in NYU. Weird that she never mentioned you, though." It was thinking out loud for Tad, and he didn't realize the effect it would have on Jessie. Jessie tried to keep her feelings from showing though. Why is it that Katie didn't even mention her?

"Oh…"

"Unless… Were you her ex-girlfriend?" Tad narrowed his eyes on Jessie. Jessie paused, she could have said 'I wished', but did not give herself away. She barely knew Tad.

"She had a boyfriend when she was still in Stanford, so, no I wasn't."

"Really?" Tad looked surprised.

"What, you didn't know?"

"That she had a boyfriend? She hates talking about past relationships, and I wondered if she ever really had one, so, that subject had always been off the table. I still don't understand why she wouldn't discuss it. I mean, it's the past, so what's the big deal?" Tad shrugged.

"No idea." Jessie wondered. Katie did say that she didn't love Damien.

"Although I suspect that something big really happened in Stanford when she was there, because she made this big decision of transferring to NYU. My suspicion was that it was relationship-related, because I've always felt that she was running away from something, or someone. But now that you mentioned about her past boyfriend, I'm confused. It's highly unlikely that she moved away because of a guy. It's just not possible…" Tad looks up at Jessie, and then shifts his eyes to the direction of the crowd, scanning for any sign of Katie. He didn't find his friend.

"Why would you suspect that?" Jessie asks curiously.

"I told you, I felt like she's running away from something. She wasn't very friendly when I first met her at the NYU Law School. Always looking so grim and serious, you'd think she's death herself. It took a while before we became friends, and then, when we hit it off I realized how nice she is. Just lay off the Stanford subject, and she'll be in a good mood. So I always thought she was hiding something. And I stopped pushing the subject because it was useless."

What Tad said got Jessie into thinking. She still doesn't know why Katie left Stanford, and Tad was right about laying off the Stanford subject; Katie did not answer the same question back at Vin Noir. All she had said was that leaving Stanford seems so stupid now…

"Do you want anything?" Tad asks her politely, shaking Jessie out of her trance.

"I'm okay, thank you." Jessie smiles.

"I'm sorry that Katie forced you into this." Tad looks apologetically at her. Jessie's forehead slightly contorts in confusion.

"Excuse me?", was Jessie's reply. This time, it was Tad's forehead that slightly contorts.

"Oh no…" Tad's mouth forms an 'o', staring at Jessie.

"What?" Jessie's even more confused.

"Katie didn't tell you, did she?" Tad looks shocked and embarrassed.

"Tell me what?"

Jessie and Tad stared at each other. Tad felt more annoyed at Katie, and now he felt sympathetic towards Jessie. The blonde obviously has no idea why Katie invited her. He immediately scans the crowd again, looking for signs of Katie and he was ready to kick her ass any moment.

At last Tad found her, just when Jessie followed his gaze: Katie is standing not so far away, at their right, leaning close to someone familiar, it seemed to Jessie.

Katie was flirting with the wine waitress who served them just a while ago. Jessie could immediately feel her blood boil. When Jessie turned her eyes back to Tad to control herself, she found him watching her, to her embarrassment.

"Katie set us up." Tad sighs.

Pause… Jessie sat unresponsive for a moment, not really knowing what to say. She shifts her eyes for a look of Katie and the wine waitress again but they were gone, and she wondered where the two went to. Jessie suppressed the possibilities that came dancing in her head.

"It's… Okay…" Jessie managed to say, but now she avoided looking at Tad's eyes, which made Tad feel guilty.

There was silence between them, a very awkward one. Tad scans the crowd for Katie again but couldn't find her this time. He drums his fingers on the table, and occasionally throws a sympathetic look at the quiet blonde in front of him…

"Do you want me to take you home?" Tad asks in concern.

"Yes please…" Jessie replied without looking at him again. And the two of them got up from their seats, and headed for the exit…

Meanwhile, at 14 E 4th Street… Alex had been walking around Reewa's apartment for a few minutes now. Alex had just gotten out of work, and Reewa called her up for some bonding time. Instead of hitting the bars, the two decided to just stay away from the not-so-quiet party scene for the night since both of them are really tired.

"Nice apartment, how did you get this?"

"I slept with the owner." Reewa said seriously which made Alex turn to face her friend, her eyes wide. Then Reewa laughed.

"I'm kidding! I guess they liked me, so they approved my application. You should learn to take a joke sometimes, geez Alex." Reewa shakes her head. Alex looks at Reewa in disbelief, then they headed back to the living room to watch tv…

"Here." Reewa hands her friend a glass of something.

"What's this?" Alex stares at the contents of the glass.

"Red wine. Don't have anything else, so don't complain." Reewa warns Alex. Alex rolled her eyes.

"I bet Jessie and Katie are drinking champagne right now." Alex sighs, imagining the formal party her friend are currently attending. They sat side by side the couch, and Reewa turned her head with a frown.

"What? You mean Jessie is Katie's date to the charity benefit?" Reewa looked shocked.

"No, it's not a date. Katie asked her to go to the charity benefit, that's all."

"A date, exactly." Reewa frowns.

"What does it matter?" Alex shrugged, picked up Reewa's remote and switched channels.

"Katie is our friend, and we care about her. She's a good person, but when it comes down to dating, she's bad news." Reewa informs her friend.

"How bad?" Alex narrowed her eyes on Reewa.

"Really bad." Reewa sighs. "She's totally inconsiderate to their feelings…" Reewa refers to the women Katie had dated. "I don't think Jessie deserves the same treatment. She's too good for her."

"So… If they really are on a date, you think Katie would do the same thing to Jessie as she did to those other women?" Alex looks intently at Reewa.

"You think Katie would make an exception? You don't know Katie anymore. She doesn't ask a girl out for no reason. I'm really worried. Why did you let Jessie go with her?"

"Because Jessie told me that it's not a date. You're overreacting, Reewa. They're just friends, and Katie wouldn't do that to Jessie. You know how close they were." Alex defends herself.

"WERE. New York changed Katie, in case you didn't notice. Okay, so they were really close back then. It was weird, the way they looked at each other. There was a time I even thought those two are cheating on your brothers, but it turned out that they were in fact just friends, but…"

Pause…

"I know I'm being overly dramatic and paranoid, but I've been here in New York with Katie longer than you, Alex. I know her. Jessie's exactly her type. She maybe as straight as hell, but believe me, if Katie wants it, she could charm her way into Jessie's pants faster than the speed of light." Reewa looks worriedly at Alex, and Alex didn't know what to say this time. "She'll break her heart, Alex, that's what Katie does."

Reewa and Alex exchanged looks, and now Alex is worried. Has Katie really changed? Because if she had, Jessie is making herself vulnerable by having feelings for her…


	5. Arra and Pin

**CHAPTER 4 ARRA AND PIN**

The night, morning, almost, felt so cold. It was nearing Christmas, and it couldn't be denied, for decorations and mistletoes are all over New York already.

Jessie had been sitting quietly on a bench, facing the deserted skating rink at Central Park, ignoring the coldness of the night, with Tad beside her. She was seated, unmoved for so long that the few skaters who had been there before them had gone home. Tad would have insisted on taking her back to her apartment, but Jessie wanted to stay behind, and he just couldn't leave her alone like that.

Overall, the party sucked; for both of them anyway. Tad didn't want to be there, while Jessie discovered something unexpected. The night went on, but Jessie remained seated in deep thought. It was hours later that she realized that she must have been wasting Tad's time.

"You should go." Jessie said softly, not wanting to offend Tad.

"Will you let me take you back to your apartment so I can make sure that you're going to be safe?" Tad asked her.

"I'll be fine here. I just want to stay a while longer."

"Then I'm staying with you. People get mugged in New York all the time." Tad shifted his eyes away from Jessie and fixed it to the rink.

"Yeah, well I have a black belt in Taekwondo." Jessie smiled for the first time since they left the charity benefit. Tad smiled back.

"Not gonna convince me to go though. You're Katie's friend, I'm not going to leave you alone." Tad said firmly. Jessie was lost for words upon mention of Katie's name.

Pause…

"I'm sorry." Tad said sincerely. Jessie turned her head to face him.

"Sorry? I should be thanking you for getting me out of there." Jessie sighed. The image of Katie with that waitress was making its way back to her mind again. She closed her eyes. When Tad turned his head, he found her with her eyes closed. After studying the blonde's face for a few seconds, he spoke.

"I'm sorry that she's very insensitive." Tad said, and Jessie opened her eyes.

"Excuse me?"

"You thought that it was a date, didn't you? With her." Tad voiced out his suspicions. Jessie, slightly embarrassed, looked away from him.

"No, that's not what I…" Jessie trailed off, because she couldn't think of a lie to tell him. Tad shook his head.

"I'm really sorry."

"Why do you keep apologizing?"

"Because she had to pick you to be my blind date, and then you had to see her flirting with that waitress." Tad gave her a sympathetic look.

"I didn't think that she invited me to be her date." Jessie said rather disappointedly.

"But you wanted it to be." Tad said with conviction.

Pause…

"So, is this your sideline job; reading people's minds?" Jessie joked. Tad let out a short laugh.

"You're not very hard to read Jessie… Unfortunately, Katie doesn't have the abilities that I have." Tad joked back, and this time, it was Jessie who laughed. The light moment did not take very long, though. Tad continued.

"You know, I didn't even ask her for a date, but she keeps setting me up with her friends, or her ex's. I always say no, but she has ways of cornering me." Tad frowned.

"Really?" Jessie was amused. Tad saw her reaction, and smiled.

"I get that a lot." Tad said.

"I mean, I don't think it would be hard for you to get a date." Jessie sounded reassuring.

"I know, right? I just… Katie thinks I'm being stupid, and I'm wasting time for not going out a lot. There's just something I'm looking for that I know I couldn't find out there, with any of those girls that she's setting me up with…" Tad trailed off, realizing that Jessie was one of those girls, so he immediately backpedaled. "Exception of the present company, of course." Tad followed up. Jessie laughed.

"It's okay. I'm actually relieved that we feel the same way."

"Well, at least I knew about it. You didn't." Tad sighed.

"Yeah…"

Pause…

"Why?" Tad asked Jessie, which confused her.

"Why what?"

"Why Katie?" Tad's question was very personal. Jessie is not the type who opens up to strangers so easily. But somehow, she felt like she can trust him. After a few seconds, she finally answered.

"I had to ask myself the same question everyday."

"And…?"

"I always get the same answer: she's the other half of me, and without her, I'm just… Incomplete." Jessie sighed. Tad looked at her, gauging the sincerity of her words, and he couldn't find any traces of pretension in her voice.

_How could Katie not notice this girl? _Tad thought.

"Katie's a good person, Jessie… But I don't know why she's like this. She was different before, when I first met her. She was quite a loner, actually. Then it all changed so sudden, and next thing I knew, she's out there and everywhere."

"Yeah, and it makes me feel even worse because it's as if I don't know her anymore." She let a tear fall from her eyes. Seeing this, Tad reached for his right pocket and pulled something out, and handed his handkerchief to her. She whispered a thank you.

"I'm supposed to have accepted the fact that she's the one I can never have." Jessie smiled while wiping her tears. Tad tapped her on the shoulder.

"Giving up already?" Tad challenged her.

"I don't know…" Jessie sighed…

Silence… The wind blew, it was really cold, making Jessie shiver even under the supposed to be warm side of her coat. She turned her head to Tad.

"So… Why does she keep setting you up on dates anyway?" Jessie looked curious. The revelation by Tad really confused her. Tad felt his cheek grow warm in slight embarrassment.

"You'll think I'm crazy." Tad laughed at himself.

"Maybe. But not as crazy as I am. I crossed state lines just to see Katie again."

"You don't know my story, Jessie." Tad avoided looking at Jessie, his eyes still fixed on the rink. The blonde noticed the far-away look in Tad's face…

"Then let me know about it." Jessie sounded reassuring, comforting; exactly the way he wanted Katie to. Instead, what he got from his bestfriend were some serious scolding for being 'nuts.'

"Okay, you might not think I'm crazy, but you'll probably laugh at me." Tad turned her head to look at Jessie, finally.

"I swear, I won't." Jessie smiled at him. And Tad smiled back.

Letting his thought travel back in time for a while, Tad finally opened up…

"Well, I don't know why I'm telling you this, but, anyway… It was years ago when I passed the bar, and so, as a gift to myself, I went on a backpacking trip with Katie. So, we visited some really nice places in Europe, most of it I can never forget and will definitely visit again someday… And then, in Prague, I…" Tad smiled, as he reminisced with the memories. Jessie watched him in interest.

"I met Grace…" The dreamy look in Tad's face didn't escape Jessie's eyes.

"Grace?" Jessie's interest grew.

"Yes, Grace…"

Jessie's forehead contorted. She seemed to be in deep thought for a while, before turning to Tad again.

"She's amazing. Really beautiful and smart…" Tad smiled again, looking rather stupid.

"What was she doing in Prague?" Jessie narrowed her eyes at Tad, and her ears strained to hear his answer.

"She visited her youngest sister, Zoe, who was then studying there. It was her last day in that country, actually, and was waiting for her flight back to America. And at that time, I accompanied Katie to the airport because for some reasons, she had to go back to New York right away. So, I was left alone to finish my trip, and I felt really sad, you know, 'coz I had to go alone. After Katie had left, I stuck around, contemplating whether I should go back to New York myself, or go on. That's when I met Grace."

"How?" Jessie asked impatiently.

"She spilled a really hot cup of coffee on my pants." Tad laughed. Jessie's jaw dropped.

"At the airport?" Jessie knew she heard him right before, but wanted a confirmation.

"Yeah. There was this announcement for us to evacuate the airport immediately because of a bomb threat. You see, those were the times right after 9/11, so, people were kind of paranoid. And apparently, Grace was very alarmed, and shocked, and dropped her cup of coffee on my lap. Next thing I knew, we were walking with everyone else, hand in hand, away from the airport." Tad explained.

"And then you spent the day together, 'til everything is in order again?" Jessie continued for him. Tad looked at her, surprised.

"How did you know?"

"I should ask you the same question." Jessie looked perplexed.

"What? It happened to me." Tad had no idea why Jessie was acting like this.

"How did you know my sister's story?" Jessie narrowed her eyes on him again.

"Sister?" Tad sounded amused.

"Yeah, Grace is my sister."

"Grace told me that she has two sisters; Arra and Zoe." Tad said as a matter of fact.

"My name is Arra Jessica. She calls me Arra because she wanted her own special nickname for me." Jessie matched Tad's tone.

Pause… Tad and Jessie looked at each other…

"She calls me 'Pin', because she thought Pin is cooler than Tad. My name's Tad Pincus." Tad finally told Jessie.

"Oh my God… YOU're Pin?"

"Yes, I am…" Tad looked back in disbelief.

"Wow, small world…" Jessie lets out a deep breath.

"So, I guess I don't have to tell you the rest of the details, huh?" Tad said. He was in deep thought again.

"I guess…"

"It was one day… We only spent one day together… And in that short span of time, I fell in love…" Tad looked up at Jessie, looking very sincere.

Pause…

"But she already had someone." Tad finished. He leaned back against the bench. Jessie looked at him, feeling sorry.

"Yeah, she did…"

"That's why Katie keeps setting me up, so I could forget Grace. But I'm not like that, you know. I can go out and date anytime I want. The point is, I don't. I'm just not interested. I'm not ready to forget. I've always believed in second chances. I don't want to sound like Barry Manilow, but Prague could have been the right love at the wrong time…" Tad said, making Jessie smile.

"I agree with you…" Jessie gave him a tap on the shoulder…

MEANWHILE, a door opened at the Radio City Suites. The dirty blonde entered the expanse of the lavish living room, throwing her keys to the center table. She headed to the kitchen for a cold drink. It was a tiring night; not only because of talking with some potential clients, but also because of the recent rendezvous she had with that cute waitress at the latter's apartment. The thought put a wicked smile in the lawyer's face.

After pouring herself a glass of cold water, her telephone rang. Deciding to drink the water first, she let the phone ring a few times, before she reached for the receiver, and answered, sounding annoyed.

"This better be good because it's 4 in the morning." Katie fumed at the person on the other line.

"_I hope you don't normally answer your phone that way." _Alex doesn't sound so happy. Hearing the familiar voice made Katie's face blush.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you…"

"_It's not an excuse. You still shouldn't answer your phone that way whoever calls because it's rude. What if it's an emergency?" _Alex scolded Katie, making the dirty blonde roll her eyes.

"Is this an emergency?" Katie asked impatiently. She really needs to know soon because she felt so tired and sleepy.

"_Not really. But I'm worried."_

"Can you tell me now? Because I have to go to sleep and go to court in a few hours."

"_Are you still with Jessie? I'm really worried that she didn't call, 'coz she normally does when she's going to be late. I woke up for my early shift at the hospital and I realized she's still out." _

"What?" Katie was shaken out of sleepiness.

"_Is that your way of telling me that you're not with her anymore?" _Alex frowned.

"She was talking to Tad during the party. Maybe they left together?" Katie reached for her cellphone and dialed Tad's number.

"_Tad, your law firm partner?" _Alex confirmed.

"Alex, can I call you later? Jessie will probably be home any minute now." Katie said casually. Alex was a bit unhappy by Katie's uncaring attitude.

"_Fine. I have to go to work anyway. If you get a hold of her, please tell her to call me so I'll stop worrying, okay?"_

"Of course." Katie hung up. And then, she kept dialing Tad's number on her cellphone, and Tad's home number on the telephone, but she did not get any answer from both.

Katie stood now, on the living room, after changing into a pair of faded jeans and a white shirt, her arms crossed, and her feet tapping impatiently on the floor. She then stormed out of her door…

x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

Singer & Pincus, at the Empire State Building…

The male partner entered his female partner's office quietly, and was successful in not making any sound. He sat on one of the chairs in front of the big table, whereas the dirty blonde was sleeping soundly on the other side, her head rested on top of some documents she probably had been reading before she fell asleep.

The male partner faked a cough, making the other stir in her sleep. The latter opened her eyes, and felt the presence of another in the room…

"You never fell asleep on your table before… Had a great night?" Tad wickedly smiled at Katie. But Katie didn't smile.

"Where have you been?" Katie asked, sounding casual again. She was sure her partner hadn't been home, because she waited in front of his door and knocked 'til her knuckles were sore, but got no answer. Eventually, Katie had to go back home to change into her suit, and head straight to the New York Supreme Court to appear for a client, without sleep. But she's not about to tell Tad about it.

"Around." It was Tad's short answer. Katie pretended to be writing something on her notepad. She wasn't satisfied with the answer, and she stopped herself from asking too many questions.

Pause…

"Do you realize that we haven't hung out for a long time now? Let's do something tomorrow." Katie smiled at him.

"Sure. Jessie and I are watching the Yankees game tomorrow. You should come with us. You both love baseball, I almost forgot." Tad smiled back. Katie stared at him for a while, before he answered.

"Uh, maybe next time. I wouldn't want to be the third wheel." Katie looked down at her 'notes', and pretended to read it.

"You won't be."

"I thought you didn't want to date her." Katie asked without looking at him again, that she didn't see the grin in Tad's face.

"I still don't. We're just hanging out as friends."

"Right." Katie got up from her chair and headed to her stack of books. She scanned the volumes of her Supreme Court Reports, and pulled one out.

"You sound jealous." Tad joked.

"That's really funny, Tad." Katie mocked him with a toothy grin and walked back to her chair with the book.

"You want to take her to the baseball game? I have the tickets now." Tad raised the tickets and waved it in front of Katie's face. Katie frowned.

"No." Katie said dismissively. Tad leaned back at his chair again.

"Why not? You want to hang out anyway, you said it yourself."

"I wanted to hang out with YOU." Katie emphasized.

"Katie, she's just a girl. And I thought you guys are friends. You've known her since your Stanford days." Tad reminded Katie, which was not a very good move. Katie shot him a warning look.

"Whatever."

"Are you afraid of her or something?" Tad looked incredulously at her.

"What?" Katie snarled at him.

"It seems to me that you're avoiding her, just like you're avoiding the Stanford subject." Tad looked suspiciously at her.

"No I'm not. I invited her to the charity benefit, and we had a really long talk at Vin Noir before that." Katie pointed out.

"But you set her up with me. You usually hit on girls like her." Tad narrowed his eyes on his friend.

"She's not like that." Katie said firmly. Tad grinned, which confused Katie. He got up from the chair.

"Well, if ever you change your mind about the Yankees game, you still have until tomorrow to get the tickets from me." Tad winked at her, and left the room. Katie let out a deep sigh.

Night… At a bar called FUSION, Jessie's hanging out with her co-workers after work hours. It turned out that one of them is celebrating his birthday.

"Cheers to Harper!" Their group raised each of their glasses/bottles and cheered. Everyone took their chance to greet their celebrant. This is what Jessie loved about her work; the harmonious relationship that she and her co-workers have.

The night went on. Jessie sat in the same table as her co-workers but she barely even joined their conversation. She felt the nudged of two of her companions in both her sides, noticing her silence, but she merely smiled at them and told them that she's okay.

After another few minutes, Jessie left her companions to get her own drink from the bar. She was hoping she could be alone for a while, to think. She was about to empty her glass of martini when somebody sat beside her and spoke…

"Another glass of martini for her, please."

The voice made Jessie turn her head around… Jessie had to pause and stare at the other woman for a while before she remembered who she was…

"Ysabella?" Jessie wasn't sure.

"Ah, you remember me. I'm glad." Ysabella smiled at her. Jessie remembered the very first time that she saw this beautiful woman…

"How can I forget?" Jessie was surprised that she didn't sound bitter, rather she sounded sad.

"I didn't think that you were the drinking type." Ysabella joked.

"I'm not…"

"So… Why are you here? I hope not for the same reason why 99 of the people are." Ysabella sipped from her glass of drink. The bartender gave Jessie the next glass of martini that Ysabella requested for her.

"And what is that reason?" Jessie was starting to loosen up in the conversation. At first, it was weird talking to Ysabella, but now, she thought there's no really harm in talking to her. The other woman had never done anything against her anyway.

"To drown their problems, or their sorrows…" Ysabella smiled. Jessie sighed.

Pause…

"My co-worker is celebrating his birthday today." Jessie looked over at a table where her group is still occupying. Ysabella followed her gaze.

"Well, happy birthday to him…" Ysabella smiled.

"I'll let him know…"

"You know what I first noticed about you?" Ysabella moved closer to Jessie.

"That I'm blonde?" Jessie joked. Ysabelle giggled.

"No… You have a very warm smile." Ysabella then turned her gaze away from Jessie, missing the blush in Jessie's face. Feeling a bit awkward for a while, Jessie managed to speak again.

"Thank you."

"I'm pretty sure you didn't notice the same thing about me." Ysabella joked.

"Yeah, I thought you were really sexy." Jessie narrowed her eyes playfully at Ysabella, reminding her of that time at the QEII when the latter opened the cabin door for Jessie with nothing but a blanket on. Jessie saw Ysabella's face turn red.

x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

Hours later, at Katie's unit at the Radio City Suites… Katie's inside her workroom, preparing for a big case scheduled for tomorrow. She had been staring at the monitor of her laptop for hours now, but she hasn't typed anything so far. No matter how hard she tried, her mind doesn't seem to work. Since early that morning, she had been fighting the urge to call a certain blonde and pry about the 'date' she had with Tad last night. Katie wondered where the two had been, and is really dying to know, but she had to stop herself.

_Just what would Jessie think? _Katie repositioned her fingers on top of the keyboard of her laptop again, but still, unable to type anything. Just then, she heard the knocks on her door. Katie got up, and headed to the door to open it. But before she could see who it was, a pair of arms found its way around her neck, and Katie had to catch the person who almost fell on the floor…

"Uh, are you okay?" Katie asked, not knowing exactly what to do.

"Why, do I look sick?" The person in Katie's arms mumbled in reply. Katie's forehead contorted.

"Oh my God, Jessie?" Katie pulled Jessie's face slightly away from her own face to be able to look at her, and yes, it was Jessie. Jessie merely smiled, her eyes closed. "What happened?"

"It was Harper's birthday, we hung out at Fusion…"

"Okay, I don't know who the hell Harper is, but that doesn't explain what happened." Katie doesn't sound happy.

"Had a few drinks…" Jessie mumbled again. Katie's eyebrow shot in the air.

"FEW? It doesn't look like few to me." Katie supported Jessie and led her to her bedroom.

"Well, what do you care, Singer?" Jessie slurred, and tried to get off of Katie's hold. Katie frowned at Jessie's reaction, and tightened her hold on her. They finally reached the bedroom, and she let Jessie sit on the bed.

"Believe it or not, I do care. You're my friend." Katie said firmly, and the rolling of Jessie's eyes did not escape Katie's attention.

"I don't want to be your friend Katie. I have so many friends already." Jessie retorted, and fell back on the bed. Katie put her hands on her hips, not sure whether to fight with Jessie or just let go of her snide remark.

"Hey, I don't want to be friends with you either, but you're the one who came over my house when I'm having a peaceful night writing my opening statement for tomorrow." _Or not writing… _Katie later thought. She continued. "If you don't want to be friends with me anymore, then why are you here?" Katie crossed her arms. She knew she's supposed to be angry with Jessie right now, but she rather find Jessie very amusing.

"The cab driver asked for an address…" Jessie spoke while lying on the bed.

"So you gave him MY address?" Katie looked more amused.

"That's the first that crossed my mind… What am I supposed to tell him?" Jessie sounded annoyed.

"Let me think… Uh, how about YOUR home address?" Katie said with mock sarcasm.

"He asked me for an address, not my home address…" Jessie said in defense. Katie couldn't help but laugh… She shook her head.

"Okay sailor, this will be your home for the night." Katie gave in, and watched for a moment as Jessie lay wasted on the bed in front of her. Right after Katie had said that, Jessie got up from the bed, and started unbuttoning her blouse. Katie suddenly turned around, covering her eyes with both her hands.

"What are you doing?!" Katie was alarmed.

"I don't feel comfortable with these clothes…" Jessie answered almost inaudibly. Katie slightly turned her head around to see if Jessie is really taking her clothes off and found her halfway into taking her pants off this time… Her head almost snapped upon turning her face away from that scene again…

"Jessie, stop that. It's really cold." Katie tried to calm her voice.

"Huh?" Jessie began unclasping her bra this time. Katie turned her head again and realized that Jessie was actually stripping all the way, to her horror…

"Oh my God…" Katie shut her eyes again, and ran for the door, and closed it behind her. After reaching the other side, she let out the breath she had been holding, and grabbed the telephone. She dialed a number, and somebody answered…

"_Hello?"_

"Reewa, you've got to come over and help me."

"_Help you with what?" _Reewa was currently on her pajamas, preparing to go to sleep.

"Jessie's undressing in my room." Katie cleared her throat.

"_I beg your pardon?" _Reewa squeaked.

"She's drunk and undressing in my room. You've got to help her get into some clothes, because I surely don't want to taint my reputation by taking advantage of a drunk girl." Katie admitted. Reewa rolled her eyes.

"_Oh. So you're tempted?" _Reewa raised an eyebrow.

"Will you just come over and dress her up? She's really killing me here." Katie sounded annoyed.

"_Fine…" _


	6. The Cage Affair

**A/N: Sorry I took so long updating… Anyway, I haven't written for a long time, so forgive me if there are so many errors. I didn't edit it… Thanks for reading… **

**CHAPTER 5 THE CAGE AFFAIR**

"You can relax now, because I'm pretty sure she won't be stripping anymore." Reewa turned her head at Katie's direction, and found the dirty blonde staring at the sleeping figure under the sheets on her bed.

"Why call me to dress her up if you're going to undress her with your eyes anyway?" Reewa frowned at Katie, making the other realize that she was actually talking to her.

"I'm not undressing her with my eyes." Katie's voice rise an octave.

"Sure." Reewa retorted with sarcasm. She walked out of the bedroom, followed by the obviously embarrassed lawyer.

"I just find her really beautiful, okay? I don't see the harm in that."

Reewa then stopped walking and turned around, consequently making Katie stop. The reporter looked straight into Katie's eyes, as if looking for something; for answers to a question that she didn't even ask. Katie held her friend's gaze, and tried her best not to blink.

"If I didn't know the two of you before and the kind of friendship that you had, and the fact that you're incapable of anything concerning romance, with THAT way you were looking at her, I'd think that you finally found your match." Reewa shook her head.

"Meaning what?" Katie's forehead contorted.

"Meaning, that I would have probably believed that someone can make you fall in love. I've never seen you look at anyone like that before, I mean, anyone else but Jessie." Reewa shrugged. Katie, not knowing how to answer, merely looked back at her friend.

"I wish I could stay and make sure Jessie doesn't tempt you with her crazy wild side again, but I have to go." Reewa gave Katie a hug, and headed for the door.

"Thanks." Katie smiled.

"Hey, keep your pants on." Reewa warned her, which made Katie's face turn redder. As the door closed behind Reewa, Katie turned around, and made her way back to the bedroom where Jessie was sleeping.

And Reewa's words repeated in her head…

_Meaning, that I would have probably believed that someone can make you fall in love. I've never seen you look at anyone like that before, I mean, anyone else but Jessie…_

So, Reewa had noticed the way she looked at Jessie back then, but her friend never knew what it meant. Alex was the only one who knew about her feelings for Jessie. But it was years ago; she had let Jessie go. She moved on, and forgot how it feels like anymore.

Her eyes stopped at the sleeping blonde in her bed…

Jessie lay quietly, peacefully, now dressed in Katie's pair of pajamas. Strays of golden hair dangled in her face, and Katie reached down, tucking it behind Jessie's right ear. Katie watched her closely…

"Jess…" Katie whispered. Jessie did not answer, but stirred in her bed. Katie caressed her right cheek.

Katie stayed beside Jessie's side, and waited for a response she knew would never come. Staring at the younger girl made her smile, and she didn't even know why.

And she remembered Stanford… She sighed.

"Don't make me fall for you again, okay?" Katie sounded almost pleading. Jessie groaned, but did not say anything else.

Katie then leaned down, gave Jessie a kiss on her forehead, her lips lingering on Jessie's skin longer than it should, and then, she pulled away. Pulling a nearby chair, she positioned it beside the bed, and occupied the same, with no intention of leaving Jessie's side until morning…

x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

The blonde shifted in the bed. She made a few turns, and couldn't fall back to sleep. For a while, she lay on the bed, unmoved. The bed felt different; of course, she's not in her own bed. The previous night, she could vividly remember, and that's exactly the reason why she's afraid to open her eyes. Will Katie be there? She wondered.

Half of her wanted Katie to be there, the other half of her wanted otherwise. Last night was the most embarrassing night of her life. She was completely aware of what was happening, but had no control. She wondered whether she will be able to look at Katie's eyes again, after what happened…

_To hell with it. I can always say that I was drunk… _Jessie forced her eyes open. Her head turned, and her eyes searched for any sign of presence in the house. Katie was nowhere to be found. Jessie let out a deep sigh. Its past 8:00 o'clock, the digital clock on the bedside table said so. Katie's probably in court already, attending one of the cases she's handling.

Jessie remained lying on the bed, refusing to get up. It felt so good lying there, she felt at home. She knew it was crazy, but being able to touch the same sheets that cover Katie's body every night, it was fulfilling in a way. It's as if she could feel her, right there beside her at that very moment…

But then, how many more women have graced the same silky sheets she's feeling now? Jessie had to close her eyes again when tears threatened to fall.

_Why do you have to be so different, Katie? _

Jessie then got up, finally, found her clothes folded neatly at a vanity table nearby, and she changed back into her clothes…

New York Supreme Court… Katie was hurriedly walking out of the courtroom…

"Best closing argument so far." Tad stood at the door, his arms crossed, a grin plastered in his handsome face. Katie stopped walking and smiled, then she turned around.

"I thought we agreed not to eavesdrop on each other's court appearances?" Katie crossed her arms, and faked an angry look in her face. Tad laughed, and shook his head.

"Couldn't help but poke my head in upon hearing your voice in the hallway. That was powerful." Tad said sincerely.

Pause…

"Well, thanks, but it wouldn't matter if the jury thinks otherwise." Katie shrugged. Tad looked incredulous.

"Am I hearing uncertainty in Katie Singer's voice?" Tad fixed his eyes on Katie, observing her. For a while, Katie stared back, but not really seeing Tad. The trial went great. She had a few hours of sleep, but she still felt great. But despite how 'great' she was feeling, she was bothered at the same time. She couldn't really pinpoint what's bothering her. Tad continued. "I don't think there's anything to worry. You're always great when you're in your element." Tad said reassuringly. Katie did not respond.

"Katie?" Tad called out at her.

"Huh?" Katie obviously did not her him.

"You want to get coffee?" Tad smiled at her instead.

"Yeah, sure." Katie smiled back and walked ahead of her friend. The smile faded from her face when she knew Tad was far from seeing it. She doesn't really feel like going for coffee, but she couldn't say no to him. Just what would she say if he asks why she's in a hurry to go home?

_Not because I want to see Jessie, of course not… _Katie shook the thought out of her head, and stopped walking, waiting for Tad to catch up with her. When he did, they walked side by side, on their way to their favorite coffee shop, Vin Noir…

x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

The door in an apartment unit in Grabler Building opened slowly. The blonde entered quietly, with a somber look painted in her face. She threw her bag carelessly on the couch, and headed to the kitchen for a drink. Upon reaching her destination, she opened the refrigerator, not looking for anything in particular, but found a can of diet coke inside. She picked it up, opened it, but did not drink it. She leaned against the refrigerator, standing in deep thought, when a voice broke her thoughts…

"I'm guessing that you're not showing up at work today." Alex said knowingly, and entered the kitchen; her eyes fixed at Jessie, who looked back at her.

"Hey…" It was the blonde's very short response. Alex watched Jessie for a while, before continuing.

"First, you hang out 'til morning with Tad, and now, you sleep 'til morning at Katie's? Your guts are doing an overdrive lately, Sammler." Alex meant it to sound like a joke, but Jessie did not laugh. She was staring at the floor, which made Alex think that the night with Katie didn't go so well.

"How did you know I was at Katie's place?" Jessie avoided looking at Alex this time, and walked back to the living room with the can of coke in her right hand. Alex followed her behind.

"Reewa called me. She told me that she had to dress you up because---"

"Can we not talk about it?" Jessie purposely interrupted Alex, generating a grin in Alex's face. Jessie slumped on the couch, and when she throw a look at Alex's direction again, she noticed the mischievous look on her friend, who's standing not so far away with her arms crossed.

"Oh my God. Reewa wasn't stretching reality at all. You really did strip in front of Katie, didn't you?" Alex tried not to laugh. Jessie visibly turned red.

"Yes." Jessie answered, looking so embarrassed, and avoiding looking at Alex again. Alex walked to the couch and sat beside Jessie.

"How far?" Alex looked curiously at Jessie. Jessie covered her face with both her hands.

"I don't know. I don't remember exactly. I was at my co-worker's birthday party, and I had a few drinks. I ended up in Katie's apartment because the cab driver asked for an address and I gave hers." Jessie explained with desperation. Alex looked in amusement.

"And you stripped, because…?" Alex tried hard to stop her facial muscles in forming a wide smile.

"I was drunk! You know how easily I get drunk." Jessie sounded defensive. Alex had to control her laughter upon seeing the threatening look Jessie was giving her.

"Oh, of course it has nothing to do with the fact that it was Katie you were stripping for." Alex joked with sarcasm. Jessie gave her another sharp look.

"You're not really helping, Alex."

"Sorry…" Alex realized that Jessie really felt bad about what happened.

Pause…

"I knew what I was doing. I just couldn't control myself from doing it." Jessie explained further.

"No one's blaming you, Jessie…" Alex said reassuringly.

"It made me realize how hard it's going to be just to get over her…" Jessie paused, and then remembered… "It's funny that even when my mind is not working properly, I could only think of her…" Jessie forced a smile. Alex reached out and gave her a hug…

"It's not really something that you could control…"

"But I have to, right?" Jessie pulled away, looking at Alex's eyes.

"It's not going to be easy, but I believe you'll make it." Alex smiled back, hoping that Jessie would feel better with the words she herself doesn't believe.

"Sure, there are plenty of options to move on. Katie even set me up with Tad at the charity benefit without telling me." Jessie said with sarcasm. Alex frowned.

"What?"

"That's what happened the other night. I didn't come home because I didn't feel like I could sleep anyway. Tad kept me company while I mulled over what happened, at Central Park…"

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Alex looked at her in concern.

"I didn't want to bother you with my senseless whining anymore, Alex."

"What? Jessie, don't ever think that."

"I'm sorry…" Jessie sighed.

"Don't apologize. I'm your friend, and I always will be, okay? C'mere." Alex opened her arms to hug Jessie again, and Jessie gladly accepted the comforting embrace. They were still in a hug when the phone rang. Alex and Jessie pulled apart, and Jessie finally smiled. Alex reached for the receiver of their telephone and answered.

"Hello?" Alex said, and her forehead contorted upon hearing the voice on the other end of the line. "Hey Ysabella…" Alex found out who was calling, and smiled. "Really? You want to talk to Jessie?" Alex sounded surprised, and Jessie's head turned upon hearing Alex mention her name…

x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

At Vin Noir…

Katie and Tad are sitting opposite each other. Tad wondered why Katie barely spoke a word, but he didn't ask. Instead, he discreetly studied his friend, who was trying not to fidget in her seat. Katie then reached for her cellphone, and dialed a number.

A female answered on the other line, and Katie spoke, lowering her voice so only the person on the other end of the line could hear.

"_Hello?"_

"Jena, I need you to do something." Katie whispered.

"_Miss Singer?" _The secretary that Katie called recognized her voice.

"Yes it's me. Can you call my house and check if someone would answer?" Katie turned slightly away from Tad, which made Tad narrow his eyes on her.

"_Excuse me, Miss Singer?" _The secretary frowned, and she wasn't sure if she heard her lawyer boss right. Katie Singer is living alone in New York. Who could possibly be answering her home phone?

"Just call my house and call me back soon, okay?" Katie said with authority and hang up. When she turned to face the table again, she found Tad, who was watching her in amusement.

"What?" Katie pretended looking annoyed, but Tad didn't buy it for a minute.

"Nothing." Tad shrugged. It didn't take long when Katie's cellphone rang and she answered it on the first ring. Tad even looked more amused.

"Yes?" Katie sounded, and looked nervous.

"_No one's answering the phone in your house, Miss Singer." _Jena informed her boss.

"Jessie's gone?" Katie forgot that she was supposed to whisper. The mention of Jessie's name perked up Tad's curiosity, and strained him to listen to the phone conversation more carefully. Realizing that they weren't only two in the conversation anymore, Katie decided to let it go and let her secretary go back to work.

"Anyway, thanks Jena. Tad will be checking in at the office soon. Bye." Katie hung up. When she looked at Tad again, there was a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"What was Jessie doing in your house?" Tad grinned. Katie looked back at him, looking calm.

"Not that it's any of your business, but, she came over last night." Katie was wearing her cool and calm façade again.

"Hmm… Interesting."

"She was drunk, so I let her stay. I was wondering if she was still there." Katie looked like she doesn't care. Tad watched her closely…

_Something is going on…_

"Why didn't you call her yourself then?" Tad narrowed his eyes on Katie. Katie plastered her charming smile.

"Why would I?" Katie picked up her cup of espresso and sip from it.

"I don't know…" Tad shrugged. He leaned back against his chair and remembered what Katie told the secretary.

"You're gonna have to call Jena again. I'm not going back to the office today." Tad said casually.

"And why is that?"

"I'm going to the Yankees game with Jessie." Tad made sure to emphasize Jessie's name. Katie suddenly looked up at him, he grinned back.

After a moment of not saying anything, Katie spoke.

"No you're not."

"Who are you to stop me? I'm your law firm partner, Kat. We're equal." Tad sounded teasing.

"Because you're going to give me your tickets." Katie doesn't sound like she's going to take a no for an answer. Tad studied her face again for a while, before he gave in with a smile…

x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

Grabler Building, 38 Laight Street…

"You and Ysabella on a date?" Alex asked again in disbelief.

"I've answered that question twenty times already, Alex." Jessie sighed in exasperation at Alex.

"What parallel world am I in?" Alex stood at Jessie's bedroom door, staring at Jessie who just finished dressing.

"I don't understand why you're so surprised." Jessie turned to face her friend.

"I don't understand why either. Maybe I just never pictured you dating some other girl who's not Katie." Alex sounds as if she's protesting. It made Jessie think for a while.

"Point taken, Alex. But this is moving on, right? Even I didn't think of dating any other girl, but I do find Ysabella attractive." Jessie smiled at her. Alex frowned. She's not used to seeing her friend smile at another girl's name, other than Katie.

"You do?" Alex's forehead contorted. Jessie let out a short laugh.

"And you don't look happy… Yes, I do find her very attractive, and she's nice. And unlike Katie, she's not very far to reach." Jessie stared at Alex for a while, then looked away.

"Do you really want to do this?" Alex sighed.

"You mean moving on? I wish I could just forget how it all feels like, loving Katie, because this feeling is where all the pain comes from. But since it's not possible, then I think the next best option would do. I want to move on so bad, Alex…"

"I never thought I'd say this, but… I support you." Alex said.

"Thank you."

As the two friends exchanged smiles, they heard the knock on their door.

"Wow, she's early." Alex joked, and Jessie laughed.

"Will you tell her that I'll be out in a minute?" Jessie requested Alex.

"Okay." Alex headed to open their door. On her way to open it, her mind traveled at what she just learned from Jessie: Katie setting her up on a date with Tad, her decision to move on, and now, going out on a date with someone who's even more good-looking than Katie. Alex was convinced, that maybe, it is indeed time to let go. Years had gone by, and people had changed including Jessie and Katie. Tears flowed, and wounds healed…

_Maybe Jessie and Katie had lost their chance… _Alex, sad of how the love of her friends for each other had become, somberly opened their door…

"I hope nobody died." The deep female voice made Alex jump, literally. She looked at the tall, sophisticated, dark blonde who's currently standing in front of her.

"What?"

"The look on your face made me think that somebody actually died." Katie joked. Alex stared at her friend for a while, before realizing that she probably had been acting like an idiot.

"Are you lost?" Alex sounded harsh, but Katie let it pass. Alex just never expected Katie to come over; Katie never did ever since she found out that they were living in New York already.

"I'm looking for Jessie. She lives here, right?" Katie narrowed her eyes playfully at Alex, and then smiled.

"Yeah… But…" Alex trailed off on what she was about to say. She was about to mention that Jessie was going on a date with Ysabella, but her guts told her that it would be better to shut her mouth and let Jessie tell Katie about the date herself.

"What were you saying?" Katie asked.

"Nothing. Come in." Alex smiled back and led her to the living room. Upon reaching the living room… "Sit down."

"Thanks."

"So, how are you?" Alex asked her.

"Good. You?" Katie asked in return.

"Fine."

Pause…

"Alex."

"Yeah?" Alex looked startled.

"You're acting weird." Katie chuckled in amusement.

"Thanks." Alex answered, making Katie laugh. Katie sat comfortably at the couch, while Alex stood at a distance, wondering whether to call Jessie or to wait for her to come out of her room. Ysabella will be arriving any minute, and Alex does not have a very good feeling about it.

"Alex, is Ysa---" Jessie was walking to the living room, dressed casually, but nonetheless stunning… She did not finish her sentence, her attention disrupted by the unexpected presence in the apartment…

Katie Singer now stood in their living room after hearing her, and the dark blonde lawyer now stared at her, without any decipherable expression on her face…

"Hi…" Katie said.

"Katie?" Jessie couldn't believe her eyes…

"I was wondering if you finally made it home this time." Finally, an expression in Katie's face: she smiled at Jessie. Jessie just had to smile back.

"Yeah… Thanks for last night." Jessie still felt that she should be embarrassed, but Katie's smile is making it impossible for her to feel that way.

"I didn't really do much. I'm sorry I didn't get to prepare breakfast. I was late for work." Katie said apologetically.

Momentary silence… Katie and Jessie smile at each other, and they seem to be contented just doing that; Alex had to fake a cough…

"Ehrm!" Too loud for a fake cough, actually. Katie and Jessie turned their heads to Alex.

"Whoops… Sorry… Bad throat." Alex plastered a wide smile, and stared at Katie. Katie didn't understand why Alex was looking at her.

"You're working at the hospital. Can't you have your throat checked?" Katie said in concern. Alex rolled her eyes.

"Are you guys going somewhere?" Jessie asked in curiosity. If they are, Alex forgot to mention something about it.

"Actually, she's here for you." Alex turned to Jessie. Jessie looked surprised.

"You are?" Jessie said in disbelief. It sounded so good in her ears… _She's here for you… _

"Yeah. Tad couldn't make it, so…"

"Tad?" Jessie forgot about the Yankees game… It's obvious, because her forehead contorted trying to remember…

"You guys were supposed to watch the Yankees game tonight." Katie frowned at her.

"Oh… OH!" Jessie slapped her forehead. Alex and Katie exchanged looks. "I totally forgot about the Yankees game!" Jessie was trapped in a dilemma. It never occurred to her that Tad wasn't around in the first place. Alex was the first to notice.

"So where's Tad?" Alex asked Katie. Katie shrugged.

"He can't make it, so, I'm taking Jessie to the game instead." Katie smiled, then turned to Jessie's direction. Alex could swear she saw Jessie's promise to move on got broken right there and then…

But before Jessie could answer, there were knocks on the door again… Jessie and Alex exchanged looks. Not one of them made a move to open the door, so, Katie did. And before one of them could stop her, it was too late…

"What are you doing here?" The one who knocked on the door asked as Katie opened the door for her. Katie looked as surprised as the other girl is.

"Ysabella, since when are you stalking me?" Katie joked.

"Don't flatter yourself, Katherine. I'm here to pick up Jessie." Ysabella matched Katie's charming smile. On the other hand, Katie's smile slightly faded.

"What?" Katie didn't look pleased.

"Oh come on, you didn't think you're the only desirable woman in New York, did you?"

Before Katie could make a smart come back, someone broke their row before it could even start.

"I'm sorry I forgot to cancel with Tad." Jessie said apologetically to Katie. Katie didn't look at her, because her eyes remain fixed at Ysabella.

"I'll tell him that." Katie said seriously.

"I didn't know that you were coming…" Jessie tried to redeem herself. Katie finally turned to look at her.

"It's okay Jessie. I didn't feel like going to the game anyway. And I'm relieved that I didn't have to baby-sit you again." Katie smiled at her, and then walked past by her, sitting down in the couch again. Katie then started talking to Alex, completely ignoring Jessie and Ysabella who were still standing by the door. Jessie was offended...

Jessie waited for Katie to look at her direction again, at least to get a scowl from her, but Katie didn't. She seemed to be so engrossed in her current conversation with Alex. So, without saying goodbye, Jessie left with Ysabella…

Upon hearing the door closed, Katie turned to the direction of the door. Jessie and Ysabella were gone. Alex watched her stare at the direction where Jessie was, while they sat side by side on the couch…

"What was that look about?" Alex finally asked what's been bugging her curiosity.

"What look?" Katie turned to face Alex.

"Cut the crap, Singer. You're not in the court room." Alex rolled her eyes.

"I do NOT say crap in the court room." Katie said defensively.

"Whatever. Just answer the question."

"I don't even know what the question is."

"Are you like still in love with Jessie or something?" It was the first time that Alex was able to ask Katie about Jessie since she left Stanford.

"WHAT?"

"You're not deaf."

"No. But what?" Katie asked again incredulously.

"I saw the way you looked at her Katie, don't lie to me." Alex pointed at her warningly.

"It didn't mean anything. Don't look at me like that. I just can't help but see how beautiful she is, okay?"

"So you're not in love with Jessie?" Alex sounded disappointed.

"I don't even know how love feels like anymore…" Katie has a gloomy look in her face that Alex didn't know whether to feel mad at her for being vain, or to sympathize with her.

An hour later, at Javu's; Ysabella's own restaurant…

"Mmm… This is so good." Jessie smiled at Ysabella as she tasted for the first time, Javu's special, as the angelic chef watched her from the opposite side of the table.

"I'm glad that you liked it." Ysabella looked pleased and flattered.

"Liked it? I loved it. Why haven't I been here before?" Jessie was really enjoying this night with Ysabella.

"Well, it's because you just moved to New York." Ysabella picked up her own knife and fork and started going through her dinner. She looks up occasionally at Jessie, whom she's really fond of.

"Right." Jessie returns Ysabella's occasional smiles.

Pause…

"Alex told me that you studied Italy." Jessie said thoughtfully.

"Yeah. I didn't really have a choice, because my family had to move there when my dad was appointed at the consul's office, but hey, who am I to complain, right?" Ysabella put her knife and fork down, so she could focus on Jessie more.

"I sure wouldn't." It wasn't easy for Jessie to focus on this conversation with Katie's image forcing its way into her head, but she's working hard to force it out.

"Have you been to Italy?"

"No, but I plan to visit someday."

"You should. I could be your tour guide." Ysabella lifted her glass of wine and brought it to her mouth. Before taking a sip, she held Jessie's gaze. Letting Jessie watch her take a sip, she made sure to wipe the wine remnants on her upper lip, not with a tissue, but with her tongue…

Jessie felt her face burn… Ysabella grinned upon seeing the reaction she got from the other blonde.

"Jessie?"

"Yes?"

"I'm glad that you came to New York." Ysabella said sincerely.

"Me too. Now you've won another customer for Javu's." Jessie smiled at Ysabella. Ysabella shook her head.

"I never thought of that, but…" Ysabella did not finish her sentence. Instead, she reached for Jessie's right hand, which was rested on the table, and held it for a while. Jessie watched their hands together…

She wondered if it would feel as good as this, if it was Katie's hand she was holding… Silently castigating herself, she tried to shut off her mind with everything that has to do with Katie. Tonight is not about Katie anymore…

"I sort of had a crush on you the very first time I saw you at the QEII…" Ysabella visibly blushed, and let go of Jessie's hand. She leaned back against her chair. Jessie couldn't help but giggle. The sophisticated chef was acting like a highschool girl in front of her.

"Oh, you think that was funny?" Ysabella mocked annoyance.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh, I just… I always regarded you as this sophisticated, no-nonsense Manhattan businesswoman, and now you're talking about crushes… It just doesn't go together, you know." Jessie giggled again. And listening to Jessie's laugh made Ysabella smile.

"Lesson learned: don't judge the book by its cover." Ysabella narrowed her eyes playfully at Jessie.

"I'll remember that."

"But… I do like you, Jessie…" Ysabella held Jessie's gaze again. And Jessie did the same…

Pause…

"Can I ask you a very personal question?" Ysabella wished she's not crossing the line with this. But this is something she needs to know.

"Uhm… Okay, but I can't assure you that I'll answer it." Jessie replied.

"Fair enough." Ysabella nodded. She took a moment before going for it.

"So… What is it?" Jessie asked.

"Is there anything that I need to know between you and Katie?" Ysabella asked casually. Jessie stared back at her. As Jessie tried to find the answer, she looked away from the other blonde.

"Our friendship goes back to our Stanford days… That's what you need to know, right?" Jessie forced a smile.

"Is there… You were just friends?" Ysabella tried to use some tact. Jessie gave her a brief look.

"Of course… We were just friends…" Jessie picked up her knife and fork, forced a smile so as not to give Ysabella any idea, and returned to her dinner.

_The word 'friends' never hurt as much before… _

"Okay." Ysabella smiled at her again…

Ysabella never asked about Katie again, which made it easier on Jessie's part. Jessie knew that if she's really going to go through this moving on thing, then she has to stop thinking about Katie. The voluntary part is easy, she still has to work hard on the involuntary; like her dreams at night, and the first thought in the morning. It wouldn't be a piece of cake, but she figured that exploring the dating scene again would be of help. This dinner date with Ysabella was one proof.

As she stared at the other blonde while they finished their dessert, she couldn't help but smile, and laugh at her jokes. Her impression was right: Ysabella is a no-nonsense person, but that doesn't mean that she's boring and uptight. She has this very light side that Jessie could very well relate to. She's fun and friendly and warm. She has crazy ideas, went through crazy experiences, and shared some crazy junior high stories: those of which involved her friends Alex and Reewa.

The night was perfect. And Jessie was glad to have agreed to go on a date with this amazing chef. Ysabella may look angelic, but she has some naughty insinuations that makes Jessie blush all the time. It would have offended her if it was someone else, but Ysabella makes her smile. She wished the date didn't have to end; Jessie wished that she didn't have to part with her date so soon, because that would only give her a reason to think about Katie again…

"Do I have dirt on my face?" Ysabella asked in amusement.

"Huh?" Jessie seemed to not hear her. Her date let out a chuckle.

"I was wondering if I have dirt on my face, 'coz you keep staring at me."

"No… You look perfect." Jessie smiled bashfully, and then looked away. Ysabella looked flattered.

"Geez, thanks Jessie, you're making me blush again." Ysabella joked, and Jessie laughed.

"So…" Jessie motioned at their table; it looks like they have both finally finished their dinner. Ysabella realized what Jessie was referring to.

"I know this is lame, but, I never really got the chance to reserve some seats at the latest Broadway play, so… I have a nice entertainment system at home. If you want, we could go and watch some good old movies, you know, An Affair to Remember, Sleepless in Seattle, whatever it is you like…" Ysabella waited anxiously at Jessie's reaction, who took a moment to decide whether to go or not.

"I'm not sure. It's getting really cold." Jessie playfully teased Ysabella.

"I can keep you warm." The chef volunteered. After exchanging smiles, Jessie finally answered.

"Well, if that's the case, then maybe we should go watch An Affair to Remember. But before we go, can I use the bathroom?" Jessie asked.

"Of course. Just go straight ahead and take the second door to the left." Ysabella instructed her. The chef watched as Jessie headed to her destination.

Javu's ladies' room… Jessie entered and realized she was alone. She stopped in front of the big mirror, and stared at herself. Seconds of staring, then she let out a deep sigh. She liked Ysabella, but in silence, she could only think of another…

"Stop thinking about her, Jessie, it's stupid." Jessie spoke, talking to no one in particular but herself. She then started going through her purse, looking for her lipstick, and she didn't hear nor feel the presence of another in the room…

"Wow, first date and you couldn't stop thinking about her already?" Katie startled Jessie, causing the blonde to drop her lipstick on the floor. Both of them leaned down at the same time to pick it up, but Jessie was able to reach for it first. Despite of that, Katie grabbed her hand instead, purposely. Jessie tugged her hand free immediately as they both got up again…

Jessie is still mad at Katie for her last remark before she left the apartment with Ysabella. So, instead of saying anything to the lawyer, she proceeded on retouching her make-up. Not that she needed it, her face looks fine. Katie stood beside her, watching her closely, which was making her feel really uncomfortable. But she knew she couldn't give the dirty blonde the satisfaction.

"Why put on some lipstick when it's going to be smudged later on anyway? It's a waste, if you'll ask me." It was Katie's unsolicited opinion.

"I'm not you." Jessie retorted. Katie slightly raised an eyebrow.

"Exactly. So what are you doing with Ysabella?" Katie asked with a sharp tone, making Jessie turn to face her. Jessie stared at her, straight into her eyes.

"I thought you said she wasn't your girlfriend?" Jessie crossed her arms.

"Correct." Katie affirmed.

"So why are you acting like a jealous one?" Jessie narrowed her eyes on Katie. Katie laughed.

"I'm not acting like a jealous girlfriend."

"Whatever." Jessie said dismissively and she turned to face the mirror again. Katie watched her still.

"You didn't answer my question. What are you doing with her?" Katie moved closer, facing Jessie's side.

"In case you didn't notice, we're on a date." Jessie said with a hint of annoyance. She wondered why Katie is even here. How did she even know she's here?

"I know. She brings all her dates here to impress them with her culinary skills… But why did you go?" Katie moved even closer. Jessie finally realized that Katie was already standing so near that her front was touching her sides. It sent chills all over her spine.

"I don't have to explain anything to you." Jessie tried to sound strong, but Katie's warm breath in the right side of her face is making her knees weak…

"Ysabella may be hot, but she's still a girl." Katie's deep voice made Jessie quiver.

"You don't think I know that?" Jessie glared at Katie in the mirror, and she realized how close they were; Katie's breathing just above her ear and with a slight move, her lips could be touching Jessie's skin…

"Not what I said, but it makes me wonder... You DON'T date girls… I DO." Katie reminded her.

"That's pretty selfish of you, don't you think?" Jessie made a step sideward away from Katie, but Katie only did the same, so now, they were at the same position they were in… Katie's lips and her warm breath in the right side of her face were teasing her skin…

"I hope you know what you're doing, Jess…"

"Oh, are we back on the baby-sit talk?" Jessie growled at Katie. Katie looked incredulously at her at the mirror, while not moving away. She seemed comfortable at their current situation. Jessie made another sideward step, this time she hit the wall. No more space to move away to. And as expected, Katie did another step too, closing the momentary gap between them.

"You don't date girls…" Katie repeated.

"You said it yourself, people change. Maybe I have changed. So don't tell me what I want. If I want to date girls, then that's none of your business." Jessie snarled at Katie as she turned around to face her. Wrong move though, because now she realized how close they really were. Jessie had to hold her breath…

"Do you even know how to kiss one?" Katie grinned at her, and Jessie had to swallow her own tongue, because she couldn't think of anything coherent at the moment…

And just as she unconsciously dreamed, Katie leaned down, and captured Jessie's lips with her own…

Jessie closed her eyes, the emotions surging through her like wildfire. This sure isn't how she imagined her first kiss with Katie would be, but nonetheless, it felt as great as she imagined it. She relished the moment, and tried to record every second of it in her memory, 'coz despite the clouded judgment, she knew that this might never happen again…

And Katie pulled away… Jessie slowly opened her eyes, and found herself staring at a pair of green ones… They remained like that in a moment, before Katie finally let her go. The dirty blonde turned around, and intended to leave the ladies' room without further word. But Jessie couldn't help but speak…

_She couldn't just kiss me and leave like this…_

"Why?" Jessie called after Katie. Katie turned around again. She was a few steps away from the door. Jessie was surprised how strange it felt that Katie was standing far from her...

"Why what?" Katie's expression was undeterminable. She talked casually, as if she didn't just kiss Jessie.

"Why did you kiss me?" Jessie silently hoped…

"I've always wanted to know how good of a kisser you are. I have to say that I'm not disappointed." Katie grinned and continued. "And you tasted sweeter than I imagined." Katie's remark made Jessie turn so red.

"You did not just say that." Jessie looked sharply at Katie. Katie shrugged. She turned around to leave, but before turning the door open she left some last words…

There was a very short silence between them…

"You shouldn't have come to New York, Jessie…" Katie said seriously, with her back turned to Jessie, and then, she left the ladies' room, leaving Jessie to wonder what she meant…

An hour later, at Grabler Building, 38 Laight Street… A drunken Alex got up from the couch, and before she could make a step, she fell on the floor. Lucky enough, Katie was fast to catch her before her face hit the carpet, and helped her friend get back to her seat…

Two bottles of wine was rested on the center table, along with two glasses, which belonged to Alex and Katie. The tv was on but none of them was actually watching since it was turned to Cartoon Network. It had been long since Katie came back with the wine, and Alex was more than happy to welcome her. Sharing the very rare bonding moment, they shared a toast to almost everything that they could think about. Unfortunately for Alex, like Jessie, she's not a very strong drinker, that she got drunk so soon.

"Oops, you okay Alex?" Katie asked her friend as she let her sit back at the couch. Alex giggled.

"You askin' me? I got supah powers…" Alex staggered with her words. Katie couldn't help but laugh.

"Uh-huh." Katie decided not to argue with the drunken nurse.

"Yah don't believe me?" Alex looked at her, rather, scowled at her.

"Well, we all have our super powers. But right now, it doesn't matter what powers you have. I think its time for you to take a shower and go to bed. You're the worst drinker." Katie shook her head and motioned to help Alex to get up but Alex slapped Katie's hand away.

"Aww!"

"You desherved it…" Alex stuttered the word deserved, pronouncing it with an 'h'.

"I was just trying to help." Katie frowned at her.

"A duck trying to help me ish unmanageable… Imaginable… Un…" Alex stumbled with her words again. Katie paused to understand, but didn't really get it.

"I'm a what?"

"A chicken…" Alex growled at her. Katie's face contorted.

"You said 'duck'."

"No. Shicken… Chicken, I mean, you are… Yah shouldn't have left Shtanford… Should have waited…" Drunken Alex is not really very easy to understand. Katie let out a deep sigh.

"The Stanford subject is so ancient, Alex. Don't start talking about it now."

"You're shicken… SHICKEN SHICKEN SHICKEN…" Alex laughed, which got Katie rolling her eyes.

_Now this is babysitting… _

"What's going on?"

The voice made Katie's head turn. Jessie was just closing the door, and looking inquisitively at them. Katie was surprised to see her return so soon, but didn't show it.

"It turned out that Alex isn't a very strong drinker herself." Katie answered. Jessie walked towards them.

"What's 'shicken'?" Jessie looked curiously at Katie.

"Chicken."

"Oh." Jessie stared at her wasted friend.

"Tell her, Jesshie…" Alex turned to Jessie.

"Tell her what?" Jessie frowned.

"Why she's a shicken. She shouldn't have left Shtanford!" Alex grinned stupidly. Jessie's eyes widened, afraid of what would come out next in her drunken friend's mouth.

"Alex, you're drunk. You don't know what you're saying. Go to bed." Jessie made sure to stay firm in her order.

"She's stubborn." Katie informed Jessie.

"Said the shicken!" Alex laughed again. Jessie and Katie exchanged looks. Then Jessie looked away first. Looking at Katie's eyes reminds her of the kiss that they shared at Javu's…

Pause…

"Aren't you supposed to be out with your hot date?" Katie asked her. Jessie looked at Katie's face, hoping to see some sort of jealousy in it, but there was none. She took the seat beside Alex, who had her eyes close now, but still mumbling words to herself.

"I remembered I had some other important things to do." Jessie lied. She has NOTHING to do. But the moment she stepped out of that ladies' room and joined Ysabella again, she wasn't able to force Katie's image out of her mind anymore. It was harder, considering the kiss that they had. Of course, she's not about to let Katie know about that, and remembered that she's supposed to hate her for being so cocky and assuming. She didn't even appreciate the movie while at Ysabella's place, and in the warmth of Ysabella's arms around her, Katie still invaded her mind. So she had to go; only to find Katie back here in her apartment…

"Gotten over the phase so soon? Too bad." Katie teased. Jessie gave her a very stern look.

"Who says it's a phase?" Jessie was annoyed. Katie held her gaze for a while, then she laughed.

"Keep mocking me all you want. But my date with Ysabella wasn't a joke."

Katie studied Jessie's face before speaking again.

"Did the opposite sex bore you that much that you decided to explore other options?" Katie mocked her again.

"No."

"Then why?"

"Why do you keep asking me these questions?" Jessie snarled at her. Alex opened her eyes, sensing the turbulence building between her two friends.

"I just want to know."

"Do you pry with everyone's life?"

"No. Just yours." Katie grinned.

"And to what do I owe the honor?" Jessie asked with sarcasm.

"Look, Jessie, you are a straight girl. You don't date girls. You don't kiss girls, and you don't sleep with girls. Someday, you'll find the right man for you, you'll get married, and then have beautiful kids. That's who you are." Katie said as if she's reading Jessie's future. Jessie stared at her.

"That's what you think I am. Doesn't mean you're right."

"Have you even had a girlfriend before?" Katie narrowed her eyes at Jessie.

"No. So what? You had a boyfriend before you decided men are not really your type."

"It's different." Katie said in defense.

"How? So I'm dating girls now, what does it matter to you? Afraid of some little competition?" Jessie challenged her. Katie crossed her arms, and stared back at Jessie. She grinned.

"I'm not looking to have a competition with you, Jess." Katie said calmly.

"Stop bothering me then."

"But I don't think you're ready for a relationship with a girl, yet." Katie gave her a knowing look. Jessie sighed.

"What makes you an expert?" Jessie is obviously irritated.

"I'm not an expert, but I do know what its like."

"You DON'T DO relationships." Jessie reminded Katie.

"Doesn't mean I've never been in one."

Pause… The revelation stirred Jessie's curiosity, but couldn't really find an opening to ask about it.

"I'll be yours for a week."

"Excuse me?" Jessie squeaked.

"Me, Katie Singer, promise to be yours for a week." Katie smiled. Jessie wasn't sure whether to laugh or be mad.

"What are you suggesting?"

"I'm volunteering to be your girlfriend for a week, so you would know what its like before you rush into things with Ysabella or with any girl for that matter." Katie said. Jessie opened her mouth to say something, but refrained. And then, she continued.

"You mean pretend?"

"No, for real. But only for a week."

"And why would I consent to that?" Jessie narrowed her eyes on Katie.

"Because I'm irresistible." Katie joked. Upon seeing that Jessie doesn't look convinced, she spoke again. "Because you desperately want to know what it's like and are really afraid to get into one. Admit it."

Pause…

"Katie, thanks, but I don't want my first one to be a sham." As tempting as it was, Jessie had to say no.

"It's not going to be a sham. I won't be dating anyone else during that period and I'll be your perfect girlfriend, I promise." Katie gave Jessie her puppy dog look, and Jessie just had to smile.

"What's in it to you?"

"Nothing. Just want to please a good old friend of mine." Katie smiled.

"I don't know Katie… No matter how real you say it would be, it would still be a sham." Jessie shook her head.

"It won't."

"Are you doing this just so you could sleep with me?" Jessie narrowed her eyes on Katie.

"I would have done that that night you came over my apartment and stripped in front of me, Jessie, but I didn't." Katie said, making Jessie blushed again. Before Jessie could resist the offer, she heard a very unpleasant sound, and something warm was trickling in her pants. As she realized, Alex puked in her pants…

"Oh no, Alex!" Jessie cried out. Katie couldn't help but laugh upon seeing what happened. After receiving a warning look from Jessie, she stopped laughing, and helped the blonde carry Alex to the bathroom…

Katie isn't sure why she insisted on the one-week-relationship thing with Jessie. Because before she could stop herself, she had proposed it out loud already… When she looked at Jessie's direction while they were both cleaning Alex up in the bathroom, a bit of that familiar feeling came back to her…

_I hope you know what you're doing, Katie… _Katie told herself…


	7. The Kiss

**CHAPTER 6 THE KISS**

Alex stirred in bed. She could feel the pain cutting through her head…

"So much for a night of drinking. I'm never drinking again…" Alex said to herself while clutching her hair with both hands, controlling the urge to pull her hairs out. Ironic as it is, she doesn't have a stock of aspirin in her drawer, despite being a nurse. Craving for a big glass full of cold water, she got up from her bed and headed to the kitchen, walking almost half-asleep.

Rubbing her eyes with her right hand, she turned left, and then right, knowing exactly where the ref is, and after making the last turn, she's suddenly shaken out of sleep in surprise, upon almost bumping head to head with a tall, not-so-blonde, familiar person, who's now looking at her with a puckered eyebrow…

"Oh God!" Alex screamed and made a couple of steps back, this time, clutching her chest just above her heart.

"What?" Katie scowled at her friend and walked back to the direction of the oven. She's holding a spatula in her right hand. Alex followed her.

"Last time I checked, my roommate had golden hair, and she was slightly shorter." Alex crossed her arms, watching Katie's back. The dirty blonde was busy cooking something that smells so good, Alex couldn't wait to check it out. But still, she's confused as to what Katie is doing here.

"I'm not your roommate." Katie smiles without looking at Alex.

"My point exactly. What are you doing here?" Alex frowned at her. Katie giggled.

"That's a good question."

"And I'm still waiting for a good explanation. You maybe immune to certain actuations made inside the courtroom for being 'work product', but this is not one of those. This is trespassing." Alex's remark made Katie turn around, looking impressed.

"How in your wild imagination did you come to know about all those things, and learned to use those terms for that matter?" Katie raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"I used to watch 'The Practice', remember? YOU MADE ME watch it." Alex rolled her eyes. Katie paused, and remembered that she actually forced Alex to watch that series with her before.

"Yeah, right, whatever." Katie turned around again.

"I thought you wanted to be like Helen Gamble." Alex crossed her arms.

"What's the question?"

"Why aren't you a prosecutor? Instead, you defend those dirty criminals. Don't tell me because of the money." Alex said warningly, and stared curiously at Katie, who still has her back turned on her.

"Equitas Sequitur Legem, Alex." Katie turned the pancakes she was cooking and turned around to fact Alex, crossing her arms too.

"English, please."

"Equity follows the law. Justice and fairness follow the law. It's impartial. There's always two sides to a story. You never know who's telling the truth and who's lying. It's that simple. And I said I wanted to be Helen Gamble because she always wins. And I do." Katie grinned. She turned around to go back to her present, self-imposed task.

Pause…

"You still haven't answered my question." Alex realized she had drifted away from the supposed issue.

"Which is?"

"Why are you here again?"

"You gave me your keys." Katie answered casually. Alex wasn't able to process the revelation for a moment.

"I did what?" Alex sure couldn't recall a thing…

_What happened last night?_

"I was talking to you about doing something special for my girlfriend, and I said something about breakfast, so you pulled these keys out of your drawer and shoved it to me, LITERALLY." Katie lifted a set of keys from her right pocket and tossed it to Alex, who managed to catch it.

Alex, still, looked more baffled. Then, after taking a moment to think, her eyes widened at the possibility that---

"Holy shit, was I that drunk to have agreed to be your girlfriend?!" Alex almost passed out right there. Katie's jaw dropped in shock and disbelief that Alex would even think that.

"What?" Katie just had to turn to face Alex again.

"No offense Katie, you're really good-looking, but I don't really think of you that way, know what I mean?" Alex tried to use tact, and Katie stared at her in return before realizing what is currently dancing in Alex's head.

"Gosh Alex! I may have thought of flirting with Reewa at one point, but YOU? Oh my God, just the thought of you makes me feel as if I'm being burned in hell already!" Katie's voice rise an octave while defending herself. Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Great, thanks for letting me know that you think Reewa is prettier than me, makes me feel better!" Alex said with sarcasm.

"I'm saying that you're almost a sister to me. I dated your brother, for God's sake." Katie shook her head at Alex.

"So what girlfriend are you talking about then? I'm pretty sure I heard you say girlfriend." Alex pointed her left index finger at Katie.

"Which is NOT you. You're almost a sister to me. I dated your brother, for God's sake." Katie shook her head at Alex.

"Then who's---"

"What's cooking? It smells really good."

Alex and Katie's head turned around at the direction of the door simultaneously, and watched as Jessie walked towards them with a smile. She seemed surprised though, upon seeing Katie's presence in their kitchen.

Jessie's eyes stopped to meet Katie's, and they stood smiling, as if Alex had suddenly disappeared in the room.

Watching these two stare at each other, with Katie playing with the spatula in her hand, there came flashes of the events that happened last night. Alex couldn't really remember fully, but she did remember hanging out with these two, and realization hit her. And Alex, offended by the total disregard of her company, finally spoke.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" Alex narrowed her eyes at Jessie.

"Uhm… You puked on my pants last night?" Jessie shifted her eyes to Alex, keeping her sweet smile plastered in her face.

"What?" Alex frowned.

"You puked on my pants last night." Jessie affirmed what she had just said.

"Euww…" Katie whispered, but it didn't escape Alex's ears. She gave Katie her threatening look, which Katie didn't see because she was busy still cooking.

"You're in my house, Singer." Alex grimaced at Katie. "And you, you're not a saint either. You got yourself driven by the cab driver to someone else's address." Alex turned back to Jessie.

"At least I didn't puke." Slightly blushing, Jessie managed a grin.

"But you STRIPPED." Alex grinned back. Jessie, embarrassed, turned even redder, and hoped that Katie wouldn't turn around to see her blushing face. Fortunately, Katie didn't, but was in a fit of giggles before leaving the kitchen with her plate full of pancakes, leaving the two alone.

Making sure that Katie was out of earshot, Alex continued.

"Girlfriend?" Alex's eyebrow shot up in the air.

"What?" Jessie looked confused now. She was surprised to see Katie so early that morning in their house, but she's not complaining.

"I got drunk one night and now you're Katie's girlfriend?" Alex asked in disbelief. Sure, she's all for Katie and Jessie, but as far as she could remember the conversations last night, this girlfriend thing just doesn't seem right.

"What?" Stupefied Jessie stared back in disbelief.

"Your GIRLFRIEND came early to cook for you." Alex pointed to the direction where she assumed Katie is currently setting up the table.

"What girlfriend are you talking about?"

"YOU tell me." Alex stared back at Jessie, and they both stood in silence, waiting for each other to talk.

After a while of acting like deaf-mutes…

"OH NO…" Jessie slapped her forehead as the memories of last night came rushing back.

"Oh yes." Alex nodded in confirmation, seeing in Jessie's reaction and facial expression that she realized what's going on.

"She couldn't possibly have taken that conversation seriously." Jessie doubted, but Alex raised an eyebrow, as if saying are-you-stupid, Jessie?

"But I didn't even say yes. You puked on me before I could even say anything." Jessie continued.

"You didn't say no, either. And don't blame it on my puke." Alex said firmly.

Pause… Jessie and Alex exchanged looks. Jessie seemed to think for a moment, then her friend heard her let out a deep sigh…

"What are you gonna do?" Alex looked sympathetically at Jessie.

"What do you suggest that I should do?" Jessie turned with a helpless look at Alex. Alex paused.

"I think you know." Alex gave Jessie a tap on her right shoulder, and walked away, leaving Jessie alone at the kitchen.

The drive to Jessie's office had been fun, but also a bit awkward on Jessie's part. Although she felt comfortable and contented sitting at the passenger seat of Katie's SUV while the dirty blonde rambled over and over again about how convenient it would be for everyone if cars could fly, and that one day it would, Jessie couldn't find the timing to break it to Katie…

This game of playing girlfriends has to end now.

_Before things could get out of control… _Jessie thought. She normally can control herself, in fact, it's one of her best suits. But Katie is her weakness. Eventually, playing along with this game would end up hurting someone, more probably her. Unfortunately, when she finally found the chance to talk to Katie about their pending 'break up', she couldn't seem to start.

_It's not easy to break up with Katie when just looking at her green eyes makes me feel powerless…_

"Jessie?" The deep voice shook Jessie out of her trance. She turned to her left, her eyes meeting another pair of greens.

"Yeah?"

"We're here." Katie motioned at the door in front of them, which has Jessie's name tag hanging on it. Jessie realized they reached the office already. Weird, she doesn't even remember taking that walk from the parking area to the elevator.

"Right." Jessie smiled sheepishly.

"So… I'll see you at dinner?" Katie asked hopefully. Staring at the dirty blonde for a while, Jessie could have easily said yes, but remember she had another engagement to attend to.

"Oh, uhm, I've got this really big meeting---"

"How about lunch?" Katie interrupted her, but before Jessie could answer, Katie spoke again. "On second thought, I couldn't. I have a deposition to attend myself, and Tad's not available, so…" Katie trailed off, sounding disappointed.

"So I'll see you tomorrow?" Jessie smiled, earning another smile from Katie in return.

"Of course." Katie motioned to leave, but before actually turning around, she leaned closer, aiming for Jessie's lips, and Jessie, in effect, slightly moved backwards, making Katie narrow her eyes at the blonde. Perfectly understanding the reaction on Katie's face, Jessie stuttered to explain, rather defensively, on her behalf.

"Katie, there's something that we need to talk about." Jessie carefully moved an inch away from Katie. Feeling the dirty blonde's breath in her face is clouding her judgment, and another second of it might give her away.

Pause… Jessie couldn't really tell what's currently going on in Katie's mind. Until Katie moved closer again, and Jessie silently swallowed her own tongue…

"Okay." The smile on Katie's face was playful.

"Well…" Jessie squeaked, making her blush in embarrassment and making Katie grin. She cleared her throat, hoping that Katie isn't seeing through her feelings.

"That's okay. I can stand here and stare at you all day. I don't mind if these people do the same to us." Katie joked, making Jessie aware of the attention they were getting from some of her colleagues. Jessie could see them in the corner of her eyes. Her curious colleagues seem to enjoy watching her indulge in Katie's presence…

"I mean, I'm not sure if we should…" Jessie just couldn't manage to say.

"Kiss?" Katie supplied, raising an eyebrow.

Jessie nodded as she whispered a 'yeah'.

"You know what I think?" Katie asked, feigning seriousness. Jessie looked back suspiciously.

"Do I want to know?" Jessie narrowed her eyes.

"You do need this one week of relationship training." And before Jessie could say something back, she felt Katie's face inches away from hers again, and she closed her eyes, anticipating the feel of Katie's soft lips pressing against hers…

But it didn't come.

Instead, Jessie felt Katie's warm lips pressing against her right cheek. Then she opened her eyes, trying not to look disappointed.

"There are a lot of things that you need getting used to." Katie said, sounding amused, and then she finally left, leaving Jessie in a rather dazed state.

Katie had been long gone, and Jessie had been standing stupidly at her office door…

"You're not as boring as I thought, Miss Sammler." The younger, brown-haired, slightly taller contemporary of hers named Abby playfully taunted Jessie. It was only then that Jessie realized she hadn't moved since Katie left. Flustered, she opened her office door and locked herself in, making sure that Abby wouldn't be able to budge her door when she comes back for another set of her teasing antics.

Singer & Pincus at the Empire State Building…

Katie and Tad just finished their emergency meeting with their associates. As everybody was dismissed, they proceeded to leave the conference room.

"I can move for the postponement of the motion we filed in Miller's case and appear on the deposition on your behalf." Tad suggested. It was before the meeting that Katie mentioned about her plans for lunch but didn't get to answer since the meeting started almost immediately. He's still not sure as to what Katie would be doing, but it's not everyday that Katie asks him for favors.

"Thanks Tad, but upon reconsideration, I realized that Mercer is not really our favorite judge, and you're not his favorite counsel either, considering your career history inside his courtroom. He's probably waiting to see one small hole in your case, and trust me, he'll dismiss your case regardless of the merits the first opportunity he gets. We can't risk that at the expense of our client."

"I've actually thought of that… Where are you supposed to go anyway?" Tad asked curiously as he walked side by side with Katie. They were both heading back to their respective offices.

"Just lunch." Katie shrugged.

"With a client?"

"With Jessie." Katie threw a smile at Tad's direction. Not believing what he's hearing or seeing, Tad had to blink a few times.

"Since when did Jessie become our client?" Tad narrowed his eyes.

"Is that what I said?" Katie frowned, not sure whether to feel amused or annoyed. She walked faster, and Tad had to walk her pace to catch up with her.

"No." Tad stared at Katie. "I said once that you usually hit on girls like her, and you said she's not like that. Now you're hitting on her?"

"What?" Katie entered her office and slumped on her chair behind her big table, giving Tad a venomous look. Tad remained standing on the opposite side of the table, looking at her whilst crossing his arms.

"First, the Yankees game, and---"

"We didn't go to the game, and you gave me the tickets." Katie said dismissively. The memory of Ysabella knocking on Jessie's door was irritating her.

"And now, lunch?"

"What's so wrong about having lunch with my girlfriend? I thought you're eternally in love with that Grace girl, and now you're acting all jealous just because I'm having lunch with Jess." Katie glared at her friend.

"Rewind and freeze. Did you say girlfriend?"

"Yes. So?"

"Nothing. I'm just surprised." Tad stared at Katie. His stare is starting to annoy Katie.

"Why?"

"Because you always said that relationships are overrated. Not that I'm complaining. I'm happy that you finally found someone, and I really think that Jessie would be good for you." Tad grinned, and turned to leave Katie's office.

"For a week, maybe…" Katie whispered. She wasn't intending for Tad to hear, but apparently, he did, because Tad turned slowly around, this time, his eyes narrowed on his friend…

"Excuse me?"

"Huh?" Katie was caught off-guard.

"This isn't what I think it is, is it?" Tad walked back in front of the table. Katie silently knocked herself on the head.

"I don't know what you're thinking." Katie tried to act innocent.

"You're not going to toy with Jessie's feelings for a week and then hide from her like you did all those girls, are you?"

"Toy with her feelings? What feelings? She's just trying to explore other dating options, okay? I'm just trying to help her. That's what we agreed upon." Katie said defensively.

"And I'm sure you have no hidden agenda." Tad growled at Katie.

"What hidden agenda? Look, I told you already that she's not like those girls, and that's true, okay? I can actually say that Jessie and I are just helping each other; I show her what a relationship with a girl would be like, and she helps me become honest for a week. And probably, not even have sex for a week. Abstinence. That would be a big accomplishment for me, so do me a favor and get off my back. I have no hidden agenda." Katie reiterated.

"I've only had a short time to get to know Jessie, but I can say that she's a good person, Katie. And she likes you."

"She likes me because we're friends."

"No. She LIKES YOU, but you're blind. Don't use your excuse just so you could exploit her feelings because you'll just hurt her. You should be ashamed of yourself." Tad shook his head and left Katie's office, and he could feel Katie's fiery stare burning at his back…

He knew he's getting through her. Katie Singer cannot be as tough as she claims to be.

Bendiner & Schlesinger Drug Co….

It was after lunch, and Jessie sat unmoved in front of her table for quite some time, mulling over the awkward kiss that she just shared with Katie. The kiss that disappointed her, because she actually dreamed of something more…

That kiss on the cheek was electric itself, but she actually let herself hoped for something more when Katie leaned down and closed the gap between their faces that morning in front of her door. It reminded her of the kiss they had at the ladies' room of Javu's, while she was on a date with Ysabella…

_Oh my God, Ysabella! _Jessie almost forgot about her. The angelic chef who made her smile, the one who made the effort of impressing her on their first date, the one she betrayed by returning Katie's kiss…

"What the hell am I doing?" Jessie spoke, only for herself to hear. Then the knocks on her door made her jump.

"Come in." Jessie spoke to the person who knocked, and as the door opened, the first thing she saw was a pair of hands holding a bouquet of red roses. She looked on in interest as the delivery guy approached her table.

"Miss Jessica Sammler?" The delivery guy asked her as finally, Jessie saw his face behind the bouquet.

"Yes, I'm Jessica Sammler."

"We have a delivery for you."

"I can see that. Where do I sign?" Jessie had a hunch as to who sent the flowers, and just thinking about it makes her heart flutter wildly.

"After we bring everything in, ma'am." The delivery guy smiled.

"Everything?" Jessie was confused.

"All twelve bouquets, Miss Sammler." The delivery guy went out to get the rest of the bouquets, leaving Jessie with her jaw dropping on the floor in disbelief…

"Twelve bouquets?" Jessie isn't sure whether she's imagining it, but the delivery guy did come back a few times until he completed the dozen, and let her sign on the paper at the clipboard he was holding.

NIGHT…

Jessie sat on the couch, in front of the tv. She stared at the screen without really paying any attention. So far, it was a great day, perfect almost. She enjoyed Katie's attention and the flowers that she sent her…

The door opened, but Jessie didn't turn to look.

"Is it over?" She heard Alex's voice.

"No." Jessie replied.

"Jessie…"Alex trailed off. She really has no idea what to say.

"I tried." Jessie shrugged, sounding as if she's trying to convince herself.

Pause…

"It's only for a week."Alex reminded Jessie. Last thing she wants is to disappoint her friend, but she has to be frank about this right now before Jessie gets sucked into this one-week fairy tale that will hurt her in the end.

"You don't think that it bothers me?"

"Then why go through it, Jess? You've been through a lot and sacrificed a lot. You deserve more than a week playing house with Katie."

Pause… Jessie stared through midair, gathering her thoughts, reminiscing the kiss; the one at Javu's and that one at the office…

"I'm acting stupid, aren't I? Taking the only opportunity to be with Katie…" Jessie sighed.

"I won't say that… But I really am worried about you. I'm sorry, and I hate to break it to you, but you're the only one gambling with your feelings here… I don't know what Katie's intentions are. I certainly don't want to entertain bad ideas about her 'coz she's my friend too. And I understand where you're coming from. I've been with you all those years, I saw you try to fill the gap that Katie had left in your life and in your heart without success… But…"Alex tried to search for words that she hope wouldn't hurt Jessie, but all of them sounded in her head as if it would all have the same effect.

"But she's not the same…" Jessie finally turned her head, looking somberly at Alex. Alex then came to her rescue, and gave her one big comforting hug…


	8. An Unexpected Visitor

**A/N: YAY! IT'S MY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW! HAHA…**

**CHAPTER 7 AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR**

"I'm sorry…" Jessie said softly. She was ice skating side by side with Katie that Saturday night at Central Park. For the first time in so many days, the snow had stopped falling, but it was still cold, very cold actually. But it didn't stop the lawyer from picking Jessie up for some quality time together. Katie had planned ice skating with Jessie all week, and had been really excited about it. Jessie is not really the ice skating type. She barely skated before, much less ice skate since snow never graced California. Being a native of Evanston, Illinois, it didn't encourage her to get involve in ice skating. But it didn't stop her from saying yes to Katie.

"For what?" Katie gave her a confused look. She held Jessie's hand to support her as they skated together.

"For yesterday." Jessie reminded her.

Katie stopped skating so she could look at Jessie's face. Jessie stopped too.

"You mean dinner? That's fine. I wouldn't have made it anyway. There were a lot of paperwork to do at the office and Tad and I had to stay 'til midnight." Katie smiled.

"I mean, the kiss…" Jessie just couldn't look straight into Katie's eyes. She felt embarrassed talking about it. But she had to apologize. She felt the need to. And she waited for the response as Katie looked her in the eye. Then she heard the dirty blonde chuckle.

"I don't know what to say." Katie looked apologetic and amused at the same time.

"Don't say anything. I just want you to know that I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"I wasn't embarrassed, Jess. Disappointed would be the right term." Katie joked and winked at her. Jessie smiled back. How great would it be if she could spend the rest of her life like this, with Katie holding her hand?

Pause…

"Am I not kissable?" Katie suddenly asked her, and Jessie did not realize how it made her blush.

"What?"

"You heard me. Am I not kissable?" Katie looked curiously at Jessie.

"How many girls have you slept with, Katie?" Jessie stared at Katie, implying that that should answer Katie's own question.

"Hmm… Wouldn't I be a pig if I keep track?" Katie grinned at her. Jessie turned and pulled her hand away from Katie's hold and started skating ahead, slowly. She was surprised upon feeling Katie's left hand reaching for her right hand again as the dirty blonde caught up with her.

Jessie threw a glance at their now intertwined hands. Despite the gloves, it fit perfectly. For a while, they skated in silence, holding each other's hands. They skated around, and Jessie had a view of a familiar bench, and she stared at it as it reminded her of the night of the charity benefit, when Katie had gone home with that waitress while she sat on that bench, crying about it…

"It's always hard letting people see who you are or what you are. The first time I kissed a girlfriend in public, I felt really scared, because I know people will judge me. After a while, I realized it didn't really matter." Katie said nonchalantly.

"I'm not scared." Jessie said, suddenly turning serious.

"Yeah right." Katie laughed, annoying Jessie. Jessie turned her head to Katie's direction and stopped skating, throwing the other a stern look. Katie stopped laughing.

"I'm not." Jessie sounded more convincing than ever.

"Okay." Katie let it pass, but obviously not believing her. Jessie stared at Katie.

"Not all people are as delicate as you, Katie."

"Excuse me?" Katie slowly lets go of Jessie's hand and stared back at her, gauging her. Suddenly realizing the weight of her accusation, Jessie looked away.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound---"

"Offensive? Thanks for the sarcasm." Katie wasn't happy.

Pause…

"I was afraid of being judged by other people, but I never really thought I'd get it from you one day." Katie looked astounded. Jessie sighed.

"Why are you angry? You're the one who said you were scared." Jessie glared at her.

"Yeah, but there's no need to emphasize it. You weren't there for me during that difficult time, Jess."

"And you sound like you're blaming me. You're the one who left!" Jessie shot back, surprising Katie. Apparently really angry now, Jessie started skating away from Katie, really fast. Trying her best to keep her own temper at bay, Katie closed her eyes for a while to calm herself, before coming after Jessie.

"What are you so angry about?" Katie asked as she watched Jessie hastily take her ice skates off and wear her snow boots.

"I'm not angry." Jessie avoided looking at Katie.

"Look, I took offense, and I'm sorry. But it was a really touchy subject for me." Katie said as sincerely as she could.

"I guess we're even then." Jessie shrugged and got up from the bench she was occupying after getting into her boots. She got up and started walking, while Katie rushed to take the ice skates off and jumped into her own boots.

"How?! Will you stop running away and look at me?" Katie grabbed a hold of Jessie's right hand and finally, was able to stop her from walking away. Katie tried to recall what she could have done wrong that could have hurt Jessie.

Pause…

"You laugh at the idea of me dating a girl, of me kissing a girl; you couldn't even pretend that you believe me when I told you that I'm not scared of how people will look at me… I don't know, it's just… It's really important to me to be seen by people for who I really am, and you find it amusing, which is making it harder for me… This isn't a passing fancy for me, Katie, this isn't a whim. I'm sorry if you thought I was judging you but I myself never really thought that I'd get judged by you someday…" Jessie said softly, rendering Katie speechless for a while…

"So that's what this is about?" Katie now sounded apologetic.

"I'm being overly dramatic, I'm sorry… I'm not sure why I'm trying to justify myself. I guess I just need you to believe in me… To finally see me…" Jessie knew what she said had double meaning. Unfortunately, Katie didn't see past the first one. The dirty blonde sighed.

Pause… Katie stared at Jessie's face… She always thought of Jessie as the perfect girl, rather the perfect lady now, and imagined her getting married with the perfect man someday…

"I'm sorry." Katie said, and Jessie smiled. "I'm serious. I'm really sorry." Katie reiterated.

"Okay." Jessie replied, and started walking again, slowly. Katie walked with her.

"I guess I never really entertained the possibility that you'd reject a future with someone like… Your ex, Aiden." Katie sighed.

"Ah, here we go again." Jessie shook her head with a smile. She's finally lightening up.

"He's the last ex of yours that I've actually met." Katie said in defense.

"That's because he IS the last." Jessie smiled at Katie, held her gaze for a few seconds, and then looked ahead again. Katie was lost for words for a while before she was able to speak again.

"Seriously?" Katie was obviously astounded. Jessie isn't the type who couldn't get a boyfriend. She could get any guy she wants anytime… But it's been years since her relationship with Aiden was over.

"You don't believe me again? Ask Alex." Jessie stuffed her gloved hands into her pockets, just before Katie was able to reach for it again, to the dirty blonde's disappointment which Jessie didn't notice.

"Well… I do believe you, but… When did you break up with Aiden?" Katie contorted her forehead.

"Two months after you left."

"EIGHT YEARS AGO? You're kidding." Katie's eyes widened ever so cutely that made Jessie chuckle.

"Do I look like a liar?" Jessie playfully narrowed her eyes on Katie.

"So you've never had…" Katie trailed off, realizing where her question was headed.

"Never had what?" Jessie, suddenly feeling naughty, started to play along with the now blushing Katie, who's obviously embarrassed for being too curious.

"Uh…" Katie cleared her throat.

"Say it."

"I forgot." Katie lied. She's suddenly feeling so hot despite the snow. She's sweating under her coat.

"Sex?" Jessie said in her sexiest voice that Katie almost tripped on her boots. The word never really made Katie feel awkward before, but not letting her discomfort show. She had even spoken words nastier than that…

But it's the way how Jessie's mouth moved when speaking it that made Katie's own mouth dry.

"Do you want me to answer that?" Jessie grinned. This conversation was starting to be fun, she thought.

"No." Katie grinned back.

"Why Singer, are you jealous?" Jessie teased. Her eyes met Katie's as she turned her head at Katie's direction.

"Me, jealous? I'm capable of anything but jealousy." Katie moved her face closer with Jessie's without warning, making Jessie stand stiff to where she stood. Katie playfully watched her closely for a while before speaking again.

"And sex with men does not really turn me on." Katie narrowed her eyes at her and started walking away, faster. Jessie let out a deep breath. She could still feel Katie's warm breath in her face…

"Who said anything about sex with men?" Jessie managed to shake off the effect that Katie had on her and turned to look at the other who's walking away, but didn't make any effort to catch up.

Katie, her own hands stuffed in her pockets, stopped walking, a smile crossing her face. She let a few seconds pass before turning around to face Jessie, making sure to wipe the smile off her face, and gave the blonde a serious, scrutinizing look…

The steps that she took to walk back to where Jessie stood made Jessie suddenly nervous. She didn't make any other move, and just looked at the lawyer who stopped in front of her with her usual, staring, gauging eyes…

_She'll know that I'm lying… _But despite of that, Jessie held Katie's gaze and tried her best not to blink.

"I was your first female kiss, and I'm pretty sure you haven't ventured any farther than that." Katie sound so sure that it somehow annoyed Jessie.

"And how do you know that?" Jessie mockingly glared at Katie. Katie laughed.

"I have ways." Katie grinned and crossed her arms.

"What makes you an expert? Do they have board exams for that? I'm sure you'll top it."

Katie laughed.

"You're a good kisser, Jess, when no one's looking. But you couldn't kiss a girl in public." Katie gave her a playful look.

"Of course I can."

"No you can't."

"I can." Jessie insisted. And Katie suddenly moved in closer for one. Jessie automatically stepped back in surprise. Katie stared at her face closely, looking satisfied.

"Proves my point." Smiling victoriously, Katie made a turn to walk away.

"I kissed Ysabella in public." Jessie admitted out of nowhere. Katie turned to face her again, unsure of how it made her feel this time.

Pause…

"Right after you kissed me inside the ladies' room at Javu's." Jessie continued. She isn't sure why she's coming clean in front of Katie now. But she had to prove something to Katie.

Pause…

"How did you feel?" Katie asked in curiosity.

"She's a good kis---"

"Spare me what I already know." Katie cut her off, reminding Jessie that she had experienced kissing Ysabella and definitely knows the contours of the chef's lips, and had done more than that, and it's not really what Katie wants to know from Jessie.

"It was okay…" _Unlike the way you made me feel when you kissed me… _

"And our kiss?" Katie asked. Jessie felt the warming of her face. She opened her mouth to respond but couldn't find the words to say. Katie smiled.

"Relax, Jess. I'm confident enough to think that our kiss is more than just okay." Katie winked at Jessie, and this time making her visibly blush.

"Oh look, you're blushing." Katie teased.

"Don't think too highly of yourself." Jessie mockingly warned her.

"And don't tell me you didn't like it."

"You sure are so…" Jessie paused to think of the perfect word.

"Lovable?" Katie flashed her charmed smile.

"Saying that would be moving too fast." _Of course you are lovable, you idiot… _The thought echoed in Jessie's head. As Alex had said, she's the only one gambling her feelings in this girlfriend game with Katie, and she's not about to lay down all of her cards yet…

They started walking side by side as they head back to Katie's car.

"So… Maybe I'm not kissable." Katie said. Jessie threw her an amused look.

"What?"

"You kissed Ysabella in public, and you couldn't kiss me, YOUR GIRLFRIEND." Katie sighed. Jessie isn't sure whether to laugh or get worried now that Katie's acting like a kid. Is Katie playing around? But of course it wouldn't work on Jessie. She's not going to kiss Katie in public to make her feel better…

_Definitely not… _Jessie convinced herself.

"Katie…"

"That's okay."

Jessie stopped walking again and stopped Katie, making the dirty blonde face her. Letting a few seconds pass by, she gathered the words to say, and stuffed her hands into her pockets again.

"I'll be honest with you." Jessie said seriously. Katie looked surprised.

"Uh, okay. But there's no need to turn all serious, Jess, I was just playing around."

Pause… Katie noticed the blonde staring at her face… Or at her lips, to be specific…

"Do you know how beautiful your lips are? They're soft, and thin, and really red, and…" Jessie lets out a deep breath. "And it's crazy…"

"What is?" Katie frowned.

"Your lips drive me crazy." Jessie stared at Katie. Katie stared back.

"Oh. Hmm…" Katie couldn't think of what to say.

"So I guess that makes you more than kissable." Jessie admitted. She isn't sure where she got all the strength to tell all these things to Katie, but she did.

"Right… Uh… So what you're saying is… You're physically attracted to me?"

"I told you not to get ahead of yourself, Katie. I like your lips, but it doesn't mean anything else." Jessie grinned. Katie gave her a look of disbelief for a while and then sighed.

"Well, if you like my lips so much, then why couldn't you kiss me in public?" Katie challenged her. Jessie stared back, examining Katie's eyes.

"For reasons you'll probably never gonna know." Jessie said seriously, and she starts walking. Katie was left thinking for a while before she realized Jessie had left her already, and caught up with her.

As they walk silently side by side, Katie looked at Jessie's direction, and tried to find Jessie's hand, which are still both stuffed inside Jessie's pockets. Hesitating for a few seconds, Katie then took the glove on her right hand off, and stuffed her right hand inside Jessie's left pocket, finding her right hand. Surprised by what Katie had done, Jessie looked at Katie, who smiled back at her. She didn't do anything to take the hand away, instead, they held each other's hands, and enjoy the warmth that they felt as they walked their way back into Katie's car…

Grabler Building, 38 Laight Street…

"You should have called." Alex told the man who was currently sitting in their couch as she handed him the can of coke.

"Do I need permission to visit my sister?" The man had brown hair, striking blue eyes, and a really playful smile.

"No. But it would have been better if I was prepared. I couldn't just get off from work tomorrow." Alex castigated her brother.

"That's okay. I'm not staying anyway. I just wanted to see you." The man grinned. Alex looked suspiciously at him.

"Me? Really?" Alex doesn't look like she believed him.

"Really… And Jessie." The man's grin grew wider; it's just what Alex suspected. And then the door opened and they heard laughing coming from that direction. The women came in, holding hands, oblivious to another person's presence in the apartment.

And when the two finally joined Alex and the man in the living room, that's when they finally noticed him… The man with a playful smile…

"Finally Jessie, we see each other again." He said. Jessie stood staring for a moment, and Katie was doing the same thing…

"Oh my God…" Jessie couldn't believe her eyes.

"Do you mean that in a good way, or in a bad way?" The man teased. Katie did not turn her eyes away from the man…

"Aiden? You're back!" Jessie smiled, and walked to Aiden's direction to give him a hug. The rising of Katie's right eyebrow did not escape Alex's eyes…

After a long welcome, Aiden acknowledged Katie's presence as well, someone he considers to be a really good friend. He insisted taking the girls out for dinner. Jessie was a bit excited, but Katie looked grumpy, so she excused herself and went home without saying anything more to Jessie…

And Jessie wasn't happy…


	9. Truth Night

**CHAPTER 8 TRUTH NIGHT**

Katie stared at the ceiling of her bedroom. It's been four hours since she parted with Jessie and went to bed, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't fall asleep. Taking one hot shower didn't help at all, neither reading a supposed to be boring book about zoo's that Tad gave her as a 'present' last April Fools Day.

_I have to wake up really early tomorrow…_

Katie sighed. It wouldn't be hard to determine the cause of her consciousness at way past midnight. Only one scene is playing in her head: seeing Jessie hugging her ex-boyfriend Aiden as they found him waiting at the latter's unit in Grabler Building. She isn't supposed to care…

_I definitely don't care…_

Katie turned on the other side of her bed. A familiar feeling of aversion towards a clueless Aiden started to creep back into her heart; a feeling stranger to her for a long time now. Suddenly, it's as if she's back in Stanford again, dreaming about the one person she could never have…

"I HAVE MOVED ON…" Katie said out loud for herself to hear. Somehow she felt she had to make that declaration for her own good. It took another hour before Katie exhausted herself trying not to think, and finally fell asleep…

The following day, December 23, at Grabler Building, 38 Laight Street… Jessie came out of her bedroom, already dressed for work and headed to the dining room for breakfast. She found Aiden seated on one of the chairs drinking a cup of coffee.

"Hey there." Aiden smiled at her. Jessie smiled back.

"You're awake early." Jessie was surprised. She isn't sure 'til when Aiden's staying, but he's welcome. Despite of their history, the two of them remained friends.

"I couldn't really do anything after Alex woke me up before leaving for work. She' haven't changed much, has she? She's still a pest." Aiden joked, making Jessie laugh. Jessie picked up a cup for herself and poured some coffee. She then occupied the chair opposite Aiden. The ex pushed the plate of French toast towards her.

"Thanks."

Pause… Aiden watched her for a few seconds before speaking.

"I got divorced." Aiden said out of the blue. Jessie stared at him in disbelief.

"What?"

"That's an exaggerated reaction." Aiden joked.

"I didn't even know you got married." Jessie was really shocked. She leaned back, her eyes still focused on the ex.

"I told Alex last night. Then I told her about the divorce. She hit me in the head." Aiden laughed. Jessie looked amused.

"How long did it last?"

"Two months." Aiden said without caring so much.

"Why?" Jessie felt sympathetic towards him, but couldn't understand why Aiden doesn't look like he's affected by it.

"Because I wouldn't agree to change the name of my boat. I named it even before I met her." Aiden stared back at Jessie.

"What's so offensive about the name of your boat that your wife would want to change it?" Jessie raised an eyebrow.

"Arra. I called it Arra." Aiden said, making Jessie's jaw dropped… Arra is her first name.

Pause… All of a sudden, it felt awkward between them. Aiden silently blamed himself. This isn't how he wanted things to be between him and Jessie.

"Remember in college? I told you I'll buy a nice boat someday and promised to name it after you…"

"You didn't have to take it seriously." Jessie tried to sound casual.

"But I was serious."

Pause… A sad smile then crossed Jessie's face.

"Thank you. It's… Flattering." Jessie avoided looking at Aiden's eyes. Her mind traveled back to the days she was still with him. He was a good boyfriend. He's good-looking, thoughtful and kind.

"But you should have changed it. For your wife." Jessie continued seriously. Aiden looked at her, the hurt he felt could be seen in his eyes. But he managed to hide it from Jessie.

"I couldn't…"

"I know I'm not in a position to say this, but you can't just sacrifice your marriage for a boat. It's just a freakin' boat, Aiden." Jessie was somehow irritated. What kind of husband would do that to his wife?

"Aren't you wondering why I'm here, Jessie? Aren't you even curious? I've been here since last night but you haven't asked me why."

"Fine. Why don't you just tell me?" Jessie doesn't feel too awkward anymore. She's just plain annoyed. She was running late for work, Katie hasn't called, and she isn't sure if she's going to pick her up. And now, Aiden's here, being dramatic, which isn't normal for him. She felt bad for the ex-wife, and felt guilty about having the boat named after her.

_Why do people have to name their boats anyway?_

"You. I came here because of you." Aiden sounded sad, and sorry…

His confession made Jessie feel guilty… Aiden had been perfect for her, if only she loved him… He deserves the truth. And she felt it was the right time; she has her own confession to make…

"And I came here, because of someone else… I'm sorry…" She looked sincerely at him, and prepared herself for some big explanation that goes way back to college…

14th Floor, Empire State Building, Singer & Pincus…

In her office, Katie sat silently behind her table, staring down at the stack of papers her secretary, Jena, had brought it an hour ago. She's supposed to sign so it could be filed with the respected courts of jurisdiction before Christmas, but Katie hasn't even started.

"Are you planning to burn a hole on that pre-trial brief?" Tad looked on at his law firm partner, amused. Katie scowled at him and leaned back against her chair, letting out a sigh.

"What if I am? What are you going to do about it?" Katie wasn't happy about the company. At the moment, she just really wanted to be alone. Tad laughed. He stood in front of the table for a while, watching his bestfriend then he sat on the chair opposite her.

"What's up?" He inquired. He knew perfectly that Katie wouldn't tell him whatever is bothering her. But there's no harm in trying.

"I have a lot of work to do, and I'm guessing the same for you. So, why don't you go now and I could start?" Katie tried to act normal.

Pause. Tad drummed his fingers on Katie's table, irritating her even more.

"Quit it." Katie warned him with a glare. Tad lifted his arm away from the table before it gets amputated.

"You know, I still don't get it." Tad remarked. Katie picked up a pen and pulled the stack of papers nearer and started signing each and everyone of them without even reading.

"What are you talking about?" Katie frowned, which Tad didn't see because she was busy signing the papers.

"This one-week thing with Jessie. I mean, why not two weeks, or a month, or a year?" Tad looked hopefully at the other lawyer. Slowly, Katie lifted her gaze up to meet Tad's eyes.

"Prying with my life again? I have an idea. Maybe we should refrain from doing that to each other and put it in writing, like in our partnership agreement. What do you think?" Katie growled at him.

"I realize how clueless and insensitive you are, Kat. But the one-week thing was your idea. I don't know why you volunteered, and I don't see the benefit on Jessie's part because as I told you already, she will probably get hurt, so… Why fake it? Why not make it real?" Tad said. Katie looked offended.

"It is real." Katie said firmly. Tad laughed, irritating Katie.

"Who are you kidding? It's not even a valid agreement because as I see it, it's against public morals. And I still don't understand why Jessie agreed to it. But I have to say that a relationship with an expiration date cannot be real. It never will be." Tad shook his head.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you Tad, but unlike you, I'm not an idealist."

"You don't need to be an idealist. People need relationships of every kind to grow. In romantic relationships, those with expiration dates don't count."

"Why do you dislike the one-week part so much?" Katie asked in irritation.

"I told you. I don't want you to hurt Jessie."

Pause… Katie put her pen down…

"Do you really want to know what the period is all about?" Katie asked him.

"I want to understand." Tad looked back. He noticed her contemplate whether to tell him or not.

"Because it's too easy to fall in love with her." _And too hard to get over her… _Katie sighed. "I can't fall in love with her." _Again…_

"Weird…" Tad smiled.

"What do you mean?"

"Fearless lawyer Katie Singer is actually afraid of something." Tad got up from the chair. He continued. "Maybe you should." He smiled at Katie.

"Should what?"

"Let yourself fall in love with her. I don't think you'll ever regret it." Tad then left Katie in silence, processing his words…

Back at the Grabler Building… Jessie is still there and already late for work. Explaining everything to Aiden took longer than she thought…

"I always thought I wasn't good enough for you, that's why you broke up with me…" Aiden sighed. Jessie felt even guiltier.

"That's not it, Aiden, please don't think that."

"Wow… This is more complicated than I thought."

"I had my reasons for not telling you before…"

"To spare me of the pain, right? What I don't know can't hurt me… But now I know…" He plastered a sad smile on his face.

"I hope it doesn't hurt too much…" It was the only thing Jessie could say at the moment.

Pause…

"It's funny… The possibility of my girlfriend falling in love with my older brother actually crossed my mind, considering how better-looking he is." Aiden joked, letting out a low chuckle. "But I never anticipated you falling for his stunning girlfriend instead." Aiden looked up at Jessie with a smile.

"Me neither…" Jessie smiled back.

Pause…

"Just so you know, I'm still trying to absorb this new information." Aiden joked about him falling into silence every now and then after hearing the truth from Jessie.

"I'm sorry…"

"That's okay. I still have my boat Arra." Aiden gave Jessie a reassuring smile.

Night… 14th Floor, Empire State Building, Singer & Pincus… Tad was still inside his office while the rest of their staff had already gone home. He intended to finish all of his paperwork so he could stay with his parents longer this Christmas. They live in Springfield, Illinois.

He was reading the last piece of paper he's supposed to sign when he heard the footsteps from the hallway. Pausing, he waited as the footsteps came nearer, and he felt the person stop in front of his door. He guessed.

"It's open, Kat." Tad smiled and watched as the door opened. But the person who opened the door wasn't his bestfriend…

"Jessie?" Tad looked surprise. "Come in. What brings you here? It's getting late." Tad asked in concern.

"Hi. I hope I'm not disturbing you." Jessie smiled.

"Not at all. How did you find me here?" Tad motioned for his friend to sit on the chair in front of the table. Jessie did as requested.

"I felt you would be here."

"Really? Nice senses." Tad joked. Jessie laughed.

"So… Is there something you want to talk about?" Tad continued.

"Yeah. Actually, I want to invite you."

"Is it your birthday?" Tad grinned.

"Not in another eight months… It's almost Christmas, and I'm flying to Evanston tomorrow to spend the holidays with my family…" Jessie trailed off.

"And?"

"And Grace will be there." Jessie finally said the magic word. Tad looked on in interest.

Pause…

"I want you to come with me and spend Christmas with us." Jessie smiled reassuringly at him. Tad stared at Jessie.

"Are you joking?"

"No."

"Then I'm in." Tad plastered thankful and at the same time, hopeful smile. Just then, their heads turn to the direction of the door as it opened.

Katie was looking at them, confused… But she managed to regain her composure and displayed her devious smile.

"How come Tad gets a visit from you and I don't?" Katie said whiningly. Tad couldn't help but grin. But Jessie doesn't look so happy seeing her 'girlfriend'.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Tad." Jessie got up from the chair and walked past by the frowning dirty blonde. As Katie looked questioningly at Tad, he merely shrugged. Katie then made a run to catch up with Jessie. Jessie is on her way to the elevator.

"You invited him to spend Christmas with you and your family? What's going on between you and Tad?" Katie couldn't help but raise her voice on Jessie.

"Oh please, don't act like you're jealous." Jessie said sarcastically, walking faster than ever.

"What am I supposed to feel? You came here after office hours, at night, to see Tad instead of me." Katie sounded angry which surprised Jessie.

"So you admit? You do get jealous." Jessie turned to Katie with a glare as she stops from walking. Katie looked back at her.

"That's not the point. Then, instead of inviting me to come with you to Evanston, you invited him! I assume that I wasn't wrong then when I said this was just a phase for you. Dating someone from the same sex was just an experiment, right?"

"Why do I feel like I'm the one giving you a 'relationship training' here?" Jessie snapped at Katie and marched to the nearest elevator again. Katie catches up with her.

"What?" Katie growled. Jessie stopped in front of the elevator and pushed the button, and waited for the door to open.

"You're an idiot, Katie." Jessie shook her head and jumped into the elevator as soon as it opened. Katie did the same. They were the only ones inside, considering the time of the night.

"You did not just say that to me." Katie said. The elevator door closed.

"Idiot." Jessie repeated. She pushed the first floor button.

"Hey, stop that. You're really starting to get to me." Katie said warningly.

"You know what is the first thing I learned? Partners may change, but relationships with men and women are the same. It requires trust, loyalty, attention, and consideration. But you're obviously clueless." Jessie avoided facing Katie.

"I don't even know why you're so mad at me."

"See? Clueless." Jessie made her point. Katie turned to stare at Jessie. But she couldn't really find the words to say.

The elevator reached the first floor and the door opened. Jessie stormed out, and Katie stepped out of the elevator, not making an effort to follow her anymore, but watched as Jessie stopped, and turned to face her.

"How busy were you that you couldn't answer your phone, and not even bother to make a return call?" Jessie asked her. Katie opened her mouth to defend herself, but couldn't…

"You promised to be a perfect girlfriend for a week but you couldn't even be an imperfect one." With that, Jessie walked away, leaving Katie blaming herself for being stupid.

Jessie had called 23 times, and Katie missed it all… Actually, she avoided answering it. And Aiden was the reason why…

Jessie reached her apartment building in 20 minutes. She walked to her door with her head down. That fight with Katie was exhausting. But she was mad at the lawyer for dodging her calls all day…

_So insensitive…_ Jessie frowned at the thought of it. She opened the door with her key, and found Ysabella in their living room, which surprised her.

"Ysabella?"

"Hi Jessie. Alex let me in." Ysabella smiled at her. It took a while before Jessie headed towards her direction and occupied the seat beside her.

She looked at the chef who's smiling at her, looking so happy to see her, but she couldn't even smile back. It's making her feel guilty, and it's not making it easy for her either…

It looks like she has to make a confession again…

"What is it, truth night?" Jessie didn't mean to say it out loud. Ysabella looked on at her with amusement.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, uhm… Nothing. So, why are you here?" It sounded rude, not exactly as Jessie intended it to come out.

"We haven't seen each other in three days. It's been hectic at the restaurant, and I couldn't---"

"I'm sorry…" Jessie said softly.

"What?" Ysabella didn't hear.

"I said I'm sorry. I, uhm… I haven't been honest with you…"

Ysabella looked at her, confused…

"What are you saying?" The chef asked.

"When I was still in college, in Stanford, I fell in love… But I didn't realize it until that person left and broke my heart in the process. And now I'm 28, and I find myself still, longing to be with that person…"

"Does this person have a name?" Ysabella asked, feeling a lump in her throat. Somehow, she had a hunch…

Pause…

"Katherine Singer… She's the reason why I came to New York…" Jessie looked apologetically at Ysabella. Ysabella looked hurt. She didn't cry, but didn't say goodbye either. The chef got up from the couch and headed for the door…


	10. Make up or Break up

**A/N: I know it's not the greatest, but hey, I tried hard! Haha…**

**CHAPTER 9 MAKE UP OR BREAK UP**

December 24… It's still early but the mall was crowded, and among those who joined the hustle of Christmas shopping too late were one blonde and one brunette, who fought their way through a group of people wrestling over possible gift items. They knew how hard it would be to do the shopping now, but they never really had enough time to buy gifts in the past few days. The blonde held a beautiful red cardigan for the brunette to see.

"What do you think?" Jessie smiled. It wasn't easy to find a gorgeous dress like this over a fighting crowd. Alex examined the clothing for a moment, before shifting her eyes back to her friend.

"Who are you giving it to?" Alex inquired while knowing Jessie had already found a nice pair of pants for Grace.

"Zoe."

"Hmm… Bad idea." Alex shook her head. Jessie looked at the red cardigan again.

"Really? But I like it." Jessie was reluctantly holding on to the piece of garment. The moment she puts it down, she knew somebody would be snatching it away from her and there's no way that she'll be able to get it back.

"Then buy it for yourself." Alex smiled and went through the stack of pants she was checking.

"What am I going to give Zoe then? I'm really running out of time here. My flight is in 3 hours." Jessie sighed. Alex tapped her shoulder.

"Just give her something not so English royalty like. We both know that that sister of yours is not exactly the conservative type." Alex winked at Jessie, pulled a nice black tube top, and handed it to Jessie.

"I think she'll rock wearing this." Alex grinned and Jessie accepted the tube top. The blonde examined it.

"I think you're right." Jessie grinned back.

Meanwhile, at Tiffany's… A dirty blonde was walking rapidly towards the famous store, and upon reaching its door, shook the snow off her coat first before entering. A staff greets her as she walked in, and her green eyes searched for the one person she was supposed to meet, and found her checking out the display of necklaces. She walked towards her friends.

"Sorry for being late." Katie smiled at her friend who had her back on her. Still busy looking at some gift prospects, Reewa did not even turn.

"Unusual, but it's fine. I just came, actually. Where have you been?" Reewa was staring at an 18k white gold necklace with a cross pendant, thinking how much her church-going mother would love it.

"Nowhere." Katie replied. Her friend didn't need to know about her sleepless night. She had been having a lot of that lately, and only for the same reason: Jessie. The blonde had the guts to call her an idiot last night.

"Hey, you think my mother would love this?" Reewa pointed the necklace she had been checking out. Katie stared at the necklace for a while before smiling at Reewa.

"Of course." Katie said with assurance.

Reewa talked to the staff and asked to see the necklace. After holding the necklace and checking out every angle, Reewa finally decided to buy it, and handed the staff her credit card. As they waited…

"You're going home tonight?" Katie asked.

"It's tradition. Of course I am going home. How about you?"

"No, I'm staying." Katie sounded sad. Reewa studied her friend, figuring out the sadness in her voice.

"What, not taking Jessie to meet your parents?" Reewa joked, but Katie wasn't amused. She merely looked at Reewa. "Trouble in paradise?" Reewa sensed it.

"No." Katie said defensively. She started walking, looking down and examining the next display of necklaces with Reewa following her behind.

"Finally grew some conscience and realized that what you're doing to Jessie is not right?" Reewa half-scolded her, making Katie turn to her with a threatening look.

"Sorry, my bad. Although I understand how much the truth really hurts." Reewa added, which didn't make Katie any happier.

Pause…

"Jessie asked Tad to come to Evanston with her and spend Christmas with her family." Katie told Reewa.

"What?"

"She came over the office last night and asked him to go with her."

"Are you serious?" Reewa was shocked, surprised…

"Wish I'm not… I just don't understand why. I mean, they had come to be friends, but why ask him to spend Christmas with her family and not me? I'm her girlfriend."

"Katie, as much as I share with your sentiment, I really could understand Jessie's predicament." Reewa intends to be impartial.

"What predicament?" Katie asked with annoyance. Reewa's supposed to be her friend.

"I think you have to understand the situation yourself. Maybe Jessie isn't so thrilled of bringing you home to her parents and tell them, 'hi mom and dad, this is Katie, my one-week affair'." Reewa acted out. Katie realized Reewa's point… Maybe she shouldn't insist on coming to Evanston with Jessie at all…

_Why do I even want to?_

"Think of it this way; you wouldn't have a hard time of attaching to and detaching yourself from the family of a girlfriend whose your relationship isn't even going to last 'til New Year. Less tears, right? Not like you'll even shed one." Reewa still isn't proud of the one-week affair her friend had proposed.

"But why ask Tad?" Katie ignored the sharpness of Reewa's remark.

"Why are you so affected? It will be over in three days." Reewa reminded her about the 'expiration date' of her relationship with Jessie…

The staff came back with Reewa's necklace, receipt, and her credit card, leaving Katie in deep thought. As Katie's eyes wandered through the store, her eyes stopped at a shining set an 18k white gold bezel-set diamond necklace. She wondered where she had seen it before…

Back at the department store… Alex and Jessie are finally paying for what they had bought.

"Going home yourself?" Jessie asked Alex.

"Yeah. Damien too. I'm not sure about Aiden. I heard he had his heart broken a thousand times over again lately." Alex joked. Jessie slightly blushed.

"He told you, huh?" Jessie was a bit ashamed.

"Thanks for finally telling my brother the truth." Alex smiled reassuringly at Jessie, who looked relieved. Jessie sighed.

"I didn't mean to break his heart…"

Pause…

"Ah, let's forget this heartbreaking stuff for a while, shall we? It's Christmas. It's about loving and sharing. And speaking of loving, shouldn't your girlfriend be the one shopping with you today? Where's Katie?" Alex asked curiously. The blonde hadn't mentioned Katie since coming home last night. Weird.

"Can we not talk about her?" Jessie sound dismissive, purposely avoiding Alex's surprised look.

"I sense a strong tension here… Lovers quarrel?" Alex teased.

"We're not lovers." Jessie said firmly. Alex was taken aback by Jessie's brashness. She sounded really angry.

"Is everything okay?" Alex looked curiously at Jessie. Jessie realized how she sounded.

Pause…

"You were right. I'm the only one putting my feelings on the line here, and I don't know why I'm doing it. It's starting to backfire, I guess." Jessie sighed.

"Did Katie do something to you?" Alex narrowed her eyes on her.

"No. It's her inaction that really got into my nerves." Jessie said, generating a weird look for Alex. Sensing what Alex must be thinking, Jessie corrected herself. "She didn't call me all day yesterday. I tried calling her so many times but she totally ignored me…"

Pause…

"Why am I even begging for her attention? You know what? She can go propose a one-week affair with anyone she likes. I don't care anymore. There are thousands of women in New York who would beg for my attention. I'm not wasting my time on her any longer. I'm breaking up with her now." Jessie grabbed her cellphone and dialed Katie's number… Alex isn't sure how to react.

Reewa is currently driving her car with Katie on the front seat beside her when a cellphone rings. Katie reached for it inside her bag and realized who was calling in her caller id.

She answered on the first ring.

"Jess, we need to talk." That's what Katie first said, making Jessie's forehead contort as the blonde held her cellphone on the other line.

"_That's why I'm calling… Katie, I---"_

"I want to see you. Where are you?" Katie cut her off.

"_Bloomingdale's. But it doesn't matter. The reason why I called you---"_

"I'm a few blocks away. I'll see you soon." Katie hung up before Jessie could even protest. The dirty blonde turned her head to her reporter friend. "Bloomingdale's, please."

"What am I, a cab driver?" Reewa snorted.

Bloomingdale's…

Jessie stared at her phone after hanging up with Katie. Why is she even coming over to see her?

"Considering that you barely finished a sentence, the break up didn't go well, huh?" Alex looked amused, so was Jessie.

"I barely even started…"

A few minutes later… Reewa is still driving…

"Will you hurry? We'll miss them!" Katie was frantic.

"And will you relax? You're not really helping here! We would have reached our destination hadn't you made that stop over and stayed longer than necessary in that flower shop!" Reewa made a sharp turn to the right.

"Hey, it wasn't easy choosing the flowers, alright?! Whow watch out!" Katie covered her eyes just when Reewa was able to steer the wheel in the nick of time to avoid a collision with another car. It was cold, but Reewa and Katie were sweating.

"That was close." Reewa let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh my God. Are you trying to kill me?! I want to apologize to Jessie and I couldn't do that if I'm dead, so try to be a little more careful okay?!" Katie's heartbeat was racing.

"Stop bothering me then!" Reewa paused… "Why, what did you do to Jessie?"

"None of your business."

"I knew you were going to hurt her." Reewa said knowingly. Katie gave her a sharp look.

A few yards later, Reewa was finally able to park her car safely, and Katie jumped off the car and made a dash to the mall. Reewa frowned. Katie had longer strides and it would take her longer to catch up. She shook her head.

Not knowing where exactly Alex and Jessie are, Katie dialed Jessie's number. The blonde didn't answer, so she dialed Alex's.

"Hello?" Alex answered.

"_Where are you?" _Katie asked, catching her breathe.

"We're just about to leave. Why?" Alex didn't know Katie was in Bloomingdale's too.

"_What? Wait for me, okay?"_ Katie hung up and ran for the door. Alex and Jessie are probably heading for a cab. Reewa was running behind Katie.

Outside Bloomingdale's, Katie guessed right. Jessie was about to hail a cab when Katie caught up with them.

"Jessie!" Katie called after her. Jessie and Alex turned at the direction of the one who's calling. Alex found Katie amusing while running to catch up with them with Reewa following her, and realized that Jessie wasn't smiling.

Katie stopped in front of Jessie, who didn't say a word.

Pause… Reewa and Alex exchanged looks. They could feel the tension between their friends.

"I'm sorry…" Katie looked surprisingly sincere. Jessie did not say a thing.

Pause…

"You're right, I'm an idiot. And if there's someone teaching in this relationship training, that would be you. I'm clueless, I'm helpless, and I'm insensitive sometimes… And I am really really sorry… Please forgive me." Katie got down on one knee and offered the flowers to Jessie.

Jessie was surprised. People couldn't help but throw looks at the scene unfolding in front of Bloomingdale's. Some even paused to see whether the blonde would accept the flower or not. Even Reewa and Alex stood in anticipation. Katie never felt so nervous in her life…

Realizing the attention, Jessie slightly blushed…

"What are you doing?" Jessie tried to lower her voice so only she and Katie could hear.

"Apologizing."

"Get up."

"I won't get up unless you forgive me."

"What if I don't?" Jessie challenged her.

Pause…

"Then I'll stay here and let people think that I'm really an idiot." Katie said. Slowly, a smile formed in Jessie's face. Alex rolled her eyes. Talk about Jessie's weakness. Reewa was amused. She had never seen Katie turned so cheesy. Jessie reached for the flowers that Katie was offering her.

"Alright." Jessie smiled.

"Yeah?" Katie smiled back.

"Yeah…" Jessie offered her hand and Katie reached for it.

The snow started falling again. Katie got up and held Jessie's hand longer than she planned. People dispersed with smiles on their faces.

"As much as I don't want to break this little make-up staring marathon you guys are doing, and as excited as I am to see you guys jump each other any minute now, we really have to go." Alex butts in. Jessie blushed again. Unnoticeably, Katie did too.

"Come on, I'll drive you guys home." Reewa led the way with Alex beside her. Katie and Jessie walked quietly behind them, their hands intertwined…

Upon reaching the parking area, Katie finally spoke…

"So, what were you gonna say to me?"

"What?"

"You called me, and you said we need to talk… What were you going to say to me?" Katie looked curiously at Jessie.

"Oh, nothing, just… Meet me a LAX at 1:00 p.m. Don't be late." Jessie smiled at Katie and let go of her hand. Katie watched after her, and let a smiled form in her own face…

Looks like she's going to Evanston after all…


	11. The Sammlers

CHAPTER 6 TIME OF YOUR LIFE

**A/N: I took two months, and I'm sorry! Anyway, on with the chapter installment. I remembered that Grace is supposed to call Jessie 'Arra', and Tad as 'Pin' (the names she prefer to call them), but as to Jessie, she only calls her Arra when she's talking to her. It's just to clarify... = )**

**CHAPTER 10 THE SAMMLERS**

"You don't give up easily, I get it. But you're gonna have to stop doing that." Jessie pointed out patiently. Katie whined as Jessie pushed her away when she tried to plant a kiss on the blonde's lips. The two are currently occupying the backseat of a taxi, while their friend Tad sat beside the driver in front while on their way to Evanston. The flight went well, for Katie anyway. Tad had a headache just listening to how Katie tried to get Jessie's attention all the time. While Jessie found her 'girlfriend' amusing, Tad found Katie rather annoying. And the ride in the cab was nothing different.

"It's just a kiss." Katie slightly pouted, making Jessie chuckle as she watched the dirty blonde.

"I thought we cleared the kissing thing already?" Jessie said patiently. Katie let out a resigned sigh, and Tad looked at her in the rearview mirror.

"WE didn't. YOU did." Katie crossed her arms. A smile crossed Jessie's face, and she leaned towards Katie, placing a kiss on Katie's smooth cheek. From the rearview mirror, Tad noticed the slight blushing in his partner's face. He rolled his eyes.

"You're gonna have to give me something more than that one of these days." Katie grinned at Jessie, while the blonde raised an eyebrow at her.

"Cute."

Katie, Jessie and Tad turned their heads at the sound of the unfamiliar voice which could belong to no one else but the middle-aged cab driver. The girls saw him give them a pleasant look at the mirror.

"Sir?" Katie wasn't sure about what she heard.

"So, you girls are a couple?" The same cab driver asked good-naturedly.

"Yes." Katie answered at the same time Jessie said, "No."

Katie and Jessie exchanged looks. The cab driver's forehead contorted, shifting his eyes between the Jessie and Katie. After the short awkward moment, the driver smiled.

"NEW couple?" The driver emphasized. Katie and Jessie are not the first couple of their kind that had been carried by his cab. And it's not the first time that some of them tried to hide what was perfectly obvious.

"No." Katie answered again at the same time Jessie said, "Yes."

Katie and Jessie looked at each other again.

"I wish you girls' good luck. It wouldn't be any easier with blondie here torturing you, but I think you two will make it." The driver grinned at them.

For a moment, Katie felt proud, confident, in agreement with the stranger who's currently driving them to the place where Jessie grew up. She was excited in coming here, in meeting Jessie's parents and siblings, spending Christmas with those people who mattered to her. She always wondered how that would felt…

But there was some nagging feeling of foreboding at the same time. She worried about what the family would say, of what they would think of Katie's coming over. She never met any of them. And having this conversation with the cab driver somehow eased the tension Katie was feeling…

"Excuse me?" Jessie's voice woke Katie up from her momentary stupor. All those time that they were on the plane, she was determined not to worry about what the Sammler-Manning family would think of her. Not that it would matter when you only have like three days left to spend with their amazing daughter…

Amazing… That's the first thing that came to Katie's head to describe Jessie…

"We're here, Miss." The cab driver pulled over in front of a really large house. They didn't even notice they had entered the neighborhood. 

"It's not like I've never kissed Katie before." Jessie said defensively. The cab driver turned around to be able to look at Jessie's face. It was only then that Jessie realized how gentle the man looks; she almost felt guilty acting like a child.

Pause…

"You and the other Miss here are trailing a very long road. Never give up on each other. I would be surely disappointed if you do. So stop pretending and just kiss your girlfriend here. I know you want to." He gave Jessie one last smile and turned to face Tad as he handed the driver some bills. Tad got off the cab, staring at the house in front. Jessie did not say anything anymore…

_Prying cab driver has a point…_

x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

"Katie?" Zoe's ears perked up at the sound of the name coming from Grace as she inquired about whether Jessie would be bringing home some special someone this Christmas. She was actually expecting a 'no' from Grace, she got used to it. Jessie never brought anyone home to meet the family. 

The two were in the kitchen helping their mother cut and slice vegetables.

"I hope taking photographs did not impair your hearing." Grace joked. Her sister Zoe is an artistic photographer based in New Hampshire. It was the first time that the younger Manning had come home in a year. Zoe scowled at Grace, and Lily, their mother, chuckled at the exchange between her daughters.

"Are you talking about mysterious Katie? The one from Stanford?" Zoe narrowed her eyes on Grace. Grace gave her a look of disbelief.

"You didn't know?" Grace frowned.

"That Jessie is bringing her home this Christmas? Of course I didn't know!" Zoe said in exasperation. "I didn't even know she found her. Why did Jessie leave me out with this significant information? What would be my excuse for not having presents for Katie this Christmas?" Zoe said in annoyance. Grace chuckled at how shallow Zoe sounded.

"Are they dating now?" Zoe continued.

"Yes." Grace answered.

"Did Jessie tell you that they are actually dating?" Zoe raised an eyebrow at her sister.

"Well, no, but she's bringing Katie home, isn't she?" 

"Jessie had the balls of taking on New York to find the long lost love of her life, and she didn't have the balls to tell you why she's bringing her home?" Zoe exaggerated to look astounded. She realized her mother was giving her a funny look.

"I mean figuratively." Zoe rolled her eyes. Lily nodded in understanding, and smiled. 

"Zoe, you don't bring someone to meet your family unless you're dating that someone seriously." Grace pointed out. 

Jessie never really told them why she moved to New York, but it is common knowledge; something that need not be asked. And Jessie has to decide on her own without the help of any outside influence. 

And now, Jessie's about to introduce Katie to the rest of the family… Zoe thought about what could have happened in New York.

"Girls, let's just be happy that finally, we'll be able to meet this Katie. I'm starting to get really intrigued about her." Lily gave Zoe a pat on the shoulder.

"Me too." Grace added.

"Does Rick know?" Zoe looked curiously at Lily. Rick had never been really vocal about his feelings about Jessie's unexpected 'coming out' to her family before her college graduation. It was a shock, of course; fragile little Jessie telling everyone that she's in love with a girl. Good thing Rick didn't have any violent reaction. On the contrary, Rick had been more caring towards his 'little girl', who is obviously not so little anymore.

"Of course. Jessie called him last night." Lily gave Zoe a reassuring smile. 

"How do you think he'll react towards Katie? I mean, Jessie had never really brought any girl home before." Grace asked curiously.

"Or any other person, for that matter." Zoe cleared out. 

"I think he'll do the same thing he did to every boyfriend you and Zoe had." Lily chuckled at Grace. Grace frowned.

"I smell disaster." Zoe feigned worry.

"You mean threaten her gravely and scare her away?" Grace spoke out exactly Zoe's thoughts. Lily laughed.

"I mean interview her about her favorite football team and bet that the Chicago Bears will make it to the Superbowl this year… And yes, maybe scare her a bit." Lily joked; Zoe and Grace laughed.

x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

Katie, Jessie and Tad stood in front of the manor. Katie was surprised at how big the manor is, but then again, considering how big Jessie's family is…

"What would your parents say?" Katie, all of a sudden, was greatly nervous.

"About what?" Jessie asked.

"Me."

"I don't know what they'll say. I don't read minds." Jessie joked, which isn't making things easier for a fidgeting Katie. 

"I mean, what would they say about you bringing me here?" 

"Are you scared?" Jessie looked at Katie in amusement. Katie slightly blushed.

"Why would I be? Nothing scares me." Katie said indignantly.

"You would have been believable had the look on your face didn't betray you." Tad interjected. Jessie chuckled.

"My family doesn't eat people. Dad's a bit daddy-like," Jessie chuckled again in between, "well, Lily is mother-like, Zoe's the prying kind, but I think you can tolerate her. Grace, I think Tad will agree with me that she's loveable," Jessie gave Tad a glance, and found him looking nervous, but not as much as Katie, as he plastered a smile on his face, "Eli's just a flirt, and my mom… She's the one you should have been scared of. She's out of town with Henry, my stepdad." Jessie enumerated her family members. 

"Which I'd say Katie is thankful for." Tad teased Katie. 

"Do you have any loyalty at all?" Katie frowned at Tad, who shrugged in return.

"Yes, to the future first lady of the Singer household, of course." He joked, purposely embarrassing Katie in front of Jessie, while the blonde stole a glance of the lady lawyer's reaction.

Knocks on the front door…

"Get that." Grace commanded her sister. They were both still in the kitchen:Zoe in front of the microwave, and Grace holding the kitchen phone. The older Manning momentarily covered the mouthpiece of the telephone.

"You get that." Zoe replied in irritation.

"Can't you see I'm talking on the phone?" Grace growled. Zoe rolled her eyes.

"Hang up.'

"It's my fiancé." Grace said in a tone that made Zoe's eyes roll once again.

"Mom!" Zoe yelled for her mother to answer the door, who had left the kitchen a few minutes ago to get something upstairs.

Meanwhile, while Lily rushed from upstairs to get the door, Rick was hurriedly walking out of Eli's old bedroom in the basement. And Rick was able to get the door first…

Three young people were standing at their doorstep: one had a bright smile on her face, the other looked like she's a deer caught in headlights, and the only guy with them was looking like he wasn't sure what he was doing there…

"Hi Dad." Jessie said to the authority figure standing in front of them. The man who was looking back at her smiled, let the three of them in, and after closing the door, gave her a big hub…

In the kitchen, Zoe and Grace realized who could have possibly arrived; Grace hung up and raced to the living room with Zoe, and found their stepsister, this time wrapped in a warm embrace by Lily, and their attention shifted upon the other two people who were standing right behind Jessie…

One of them would be no one else but the famous Katie Singer, who looked more beautiful than they ever imagined, and the other guy, who is unknown to Zoe, but looked too familiar to Grace…

And Grace's jaw dropped when the brown-haired gentleman turned his head her way, and met her eyes…

x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

After a few rather awkward minutes (for some people)…

Grace was left to handle the kitchen, and there with her was her unexpected visitor… It was an awkward moment for both of them. Tad helped out in preparing dinner for that night, and Grace decided to shut her mouth. She had no idea what to say. Still, she was shocked after seeing Tad after so long…

It hadn't been easy to forget the guy, whom she thought was just a momentary fling and a mere one-night stand…

"You look great, by the way." Tad finally spoke. It took him a lot of courage to finally say something.

"Thanks. You're not bad either." Grace smiled at him.

Pause…

"So… Do you still write?" Tad inquired. It's been years, but being around Grace made him feel the same way.

"That's what I do for a living, you know, so even if I don't want to write, I kind'a have to." Grace chuckled and Tad laughed with her. The awkward tension was momentarily lifted…

"I'm in litigation." 

"With Katie Singer, I assume?" Grace asked knowingly. She had read about it in a paper once…

"You know, I wonder why is it that girls keep on using Katie's surname when referring to her." Tad shook his head.

"It has a powerful tone in it." 

"Not smitten with my law firm partner, I hope…" Tad joked. Grace laughed.

"Oh I'm not. But I'm pretty sure someone is." She replied. Tad continued on what he was working on: the dicing of vegetables which, unfortunately, he had subconsciously minced instead due to some excusable distraction…

Upstairs, at Jessie's old attic bedroom, Katie was unpacking her things, and Zoe was helping her out.

"You know, I almost gave up the possibility of meeting you someday." Zoe remarked out of the blue. Intrigued, Katie turned around and faced her.

"What?"

"What the hell were you thinking when you left Stanford?" Zoe growled at Katie which surprised the dark blonde.

_Jessie did warn me about Zoe being the prying kind… Did she mention tolerable? _Katie thought. 

"You know about Stanford?" Katie frowned.

"Of course I know. Everybody knows. Jessie wouldn't stop talking about it. You know what surprised me more? She actually managed to find you in New York. I used to think she's so fragile… She made me respect her even more." Zoe smiled, making Katie look so confused.

"Find me?" Katie raised an eyebrow, clueless.

"Oh don't flatter yourself too much. But you're lucky she doesn't give up that easy. Although I realized now why she wouldn't, she may be as lucky. I didn't expect Katie Singer would like you."

"Is that a good or a bad thing?" Katie couldn't catch up with Zoe.

"I rarely compliment people. What I mean was, I didn't even have any idea what makes Jessie so crazy about you, until I saw you. Don't gloat on that." Zoe said warningly.

"Jessie's crazy about me? Who told you that? And you actually think that I'm gorgeous?" Katie gave Zoe her famous charming smile.

"Good-looking, not gorgeous; two very different words, Singer. You're supposed to be smarter than that." Zoe corrected.

"Younger Manning, are you flirting with me?" Katie joked.

"It's hard to imagine that there's more to that face of yours, and Jessie's my sister." Zoe joked back. 

"So, if you weren't Jessie's sister, would you date me?" 

"No." Zoe shook her head frantically.

"Me neither."

"You mean you wouldn't date YOU?" Zoe asked in amusement, raising an eyebrow in the process.

"I mean, I wouldn't date YOU. You're too feisty." Katie said incredulously.

"And you're too girly for me." Zoe laughed. 

Obviously finished folding her clothes, Katie headed to the direction of the closet drawers and pulled the top one.

"You wouldn't want to do that." Zoe warned her, making the other girl turn around with a frown.

"Do what?" Katie looked clueless.

"Don't use the top drawer if you don't want to see Jessie go all bananas on you." Zoe's warning made Katie laugh.

"Where am I supposed to put my clothes on then?" 

"The bottom drawer. What, you didn't know Jessie's stupid thing about top drawers? I still don't get it, but hey, it's Jessie. No offense." Zoe raised her hands in the air. 

"I didn't know she makes a big deal about top drawers. She always let me use hers when we had those sleepovers in college." Katie recalled, although she remembered that Jessie did, in fact, barely used the bottom ones. 

"Really?" Zoe said in surprised. "That's not how gentle she treated me when we shared at room at summer camp back in the days. But on second thought, you are her lover, and I'm not. So, see you downstairs later. Got to go check if Grace still needs help."

"Thanks, Zoe." 

"No problem. And hey, welcome home." Zoe winked at Katie, and hurried down the staircase. Katie was left alone in Jessie's attic room in deep thought, wondering if it's right to feel this comfortable. 

_Too comfortable…_

Meanwhile, Rick and Jessie made a run for the grocery store. It turned out that there were a couple of things that Lily and Zoe missed when they shopped yesterday, and Rick, without really asking if Jessie would want to go with him, volunteered. 

And of course, it wasn't the excitement of grocery shopping that made Rick go; it was for the purpose of having alone time with his daughter, to talk. The father and daughter team was currently at the fruits and vegetables section, with Rick pushing the cart and Jessie holding the list with her left hand.

"Have you heard from mom?" Jessie asked Rick without turning to give him a look. She leans over to look at a group of lettuce, and after a few seconds, picked up one to put into their cart.

"Yes, she told me she's happy spending with Henry and his kids in Rhode Island, but at the same time sad, because she wouldn't be able to be here and be with you and Eli." 

"Eli and I feel the same way." 

Pause…

"She wants to meet Katie." Rick added, making Jessie turn around.

"I didn't tell her that I'm bringing Katie with me." Jessie looked surprised.

"I did. I'm sorry, I didn't know… Was it okay that I told her?" Rick was worried.

"It's okay dad, I just… I was going to tell her, but she isn't going to be here anyway, so, I thought it didn't matter." Jessie shrugged. Rick smiled.

Pause… Jessie could feel her father's cautious attempt to turn the conversation to Katie, making her scared, and at the same time, prepared, to talk about the only person in her mind right now. 

"It's alright, dad." Jessie gave her father a reassuring smile.

"What?" Rick pretended clueless. 

"Ask whatever it is that you have been wanting to ask me." Jessie gave him the signal. Rick laughed, rather embarrassed with himself.

"I'm not very subtle, am I?"

"No. You're too transparent." Jessie laughed with him.

"So…"

"Yes dad, she is the Katie Singer I have been telling you about; the ex-girlfriend of my ex-boyfriend's brother." Jessie answered before Rick could even ask.

"I'm not sure I get that, but, okay." Rick picked up a can of pickles and put it in their cart… "Are you happy?"

"You mean, with Katie?"

"Yes, that's what I mean." Rick nodded.

"Couldn't be any happier, dad." Jessie said in an unwavering tone, making Rick smile. 

_Though it would only last for another three days… _Jessie let out a sigh. 

"Good to hear that." Rick smiled. 

"Do you, uhm… Is it okay that she came with me here?" Jessie had been worried about that since they arrived.

"Of course, honey. Forgive me if I am a bit awkward around her, I just don't know how to deal with her, you know… It's the first time that you introduced a girlfriend to us." Rick said, and Jessie smiled sheepishly.

"And I'm sorry that I didn't give you much time to prepare."

"There's no better time than this." Rick caught Jessie's eyes, and through his daughter's eyes, he saw something; something that could never be expressed in words….

"Honey, I know I don't have to ask you this anymore since you've mentioned it before already, and your actions definitely explain it all, but I really need to ask you this."

"Okay, shoot." 

"Do you love Katie?"

Jessie looked straight into her old man's eyes, tears almost forming in her own…

"With all my heart, dad." 

_With all my heart that it hurts… _With all Jessie's heart that she agreed to a week-long relationship that would surely hurt her in the end… She need not mention that to her father; she's sure he wouldn't understand. 

"Wow… My little girl is a woman…" Rick moved closer to hug his daughter. When he did, the tears finally fell from Jessie's eyes.

"I'll always be your little girl…" She leaned into her father's embrace.

"Katie better make sure that she doesn't hurt you." Rick said good-naturedly. Jessie laughed…

"Yeah, I hope she doesn't…" Jessie whispered…

Back to the manor… Tad is still helping Grace in the kitchen. Zoe had escaped to her bedroom. And Lily is prepping the dining room…

"What were you thinking then?" Grace asked Tad. They have been discussing their experience back at the airport in Prague; the first and the last time they met. Grace had just finished preparing another dish and had stuffed the same to the oven. 

"I don't know. I didn't really have any clear thought about anything. I was really just scared. And I was worried because Katie had boarded. The thought of a take two of the twin towers collapse in 9/11 was really terrifying." Tad recalled that day. 

"Yeah, just the thought of it gives me goosebumps." 

"How about you, what was in your mind back then?" Tad asked curiously. They never discussed their fears before; the day they spent in Prague was not about fear… It was about being trapped in that extreme circumstance when they didn't have anything else but each other…

And how it felt…

"My family, and I wondered if I will ever see them again. I worried about not finishing my very first book… I was afraid of dying without even seeing Rome…" 

"So… Have you finally visited Rome?" Tad asked in curiosity.

"No." Grace chuckled. "It was really ironic, 'coz when I got back from Prague, my mind was flowing with wonderful ideas. I actually finished the book I have been working on for a year. It was published, and I wrote another one, and then another one, and another one. I guess I never really had enough time to go so far away as Rome. But maybe someday I will." Grace smiled.

"Maybe you'll see it with me…" Tad joked, but it was half-meant. Of course, Grace could read between the lines, and fell silent. Tad didn't get the response he was expecting. 

Pause…

"I tried to find you." Tad said, making Grace's head turn around. There was that desolate look in her eyes.

But Grace refrained from saying anything in return… Tad stared at her, looking frustrated.

"You weren't in Boston." 

"I moved." 

"To where, another planet? You never really lived in Boston, so just tell me the truth." Tad tried to contain his irritation for Grace's lack of sensitivity, but it isn't easy.

"Pin, please…" Grace is the only one who calls Tad 'Pin'.

"I want to know why you misled me into believing that I'm gonna find you again. Were you hiding from me?" Tad moved closer to Grace, which made her move farther away. 

"Pin---"

"You guys, is Jessie back yet?" Katie came into the kitchen, her hands stuffed in her pockets. Tad and Grace jumped away from each other, generating a weird look from Katie. 

"No, she's still at the grocery store with Rick. But I think they'll be back any minute. They have a short grocery list." Grace forced a smile, and shifted her eyes away from Katie and Tad. Tad stared at Grace, which did not escape Katie's attention. 

"Uh, I didn't mean to---" 

"It's okay. We need more help anyway. I have no idea where Zoe had gone, and I'm pretty sure she's purposely hiding to avoid helping out, so, your entrance is very welcome." Grace said, sounding as if Katie didn't just walk in a very awkward moment. "Can you help us make this chocolate truffle, please?" Grace's pleading look in her face just made it so hard to say no… 

"Uh… Sure." Katie smiled back, throwing a sincere I'm-truly-sorry look at Tad's direction. 

The whole time at the kitchen could only be described as more than awkward. Katie tried to lighten it up by engaging Grace in a conversation, who obviously tries her best not be distracted, while Tad looked sad and surly, and Katie felt really sorry for him…

_It doesn't look like it's going the way Tad wants it to be between him and Grace… _Katie only found out that Jessie's sister Grace is Tad's Grace, that one he met in Prague. 

_It's a really small world…_

Without a word, Tad gave Grace one last meaningful look, and walked out of the kitchen. Grace watched him leave, and Katie tried not to pry. That would be Zoe's job…

Silence fell between Katie and Grace, which was broken later on by an obnoxious male voice…

"Hello my dear stepsister!" Eli entered the kitchen with a grin, and after realizing that Grace isn't alone, his eyes fell, and locked into the face of the tall, gorgeous female beside her…

"And the gorgeous female companion whose name is…?" Eli's failed attempts to be charming got Grace rolling her eyes. Such a comic relief after a tension-filled conversation with Tad.

"Her name's Katie. Katie, this is Tad, mine and Jessie's stupid big brother. I can't believe you're back." 

"Hey, I can ruin my own reputation without your help. And, nice to see you too." Eli then turned his eyes back to Katie. "This could possibly be the best Christmas, ever…" Eli flirtatiously winked at Katie, which got Katie laughing. 

"So…" Eli is apparently not finished. "Please tell me you're single and available." Eli gave her the puppy-dog look that almost got Grace puking at the sink. 

"Pathetic." Grace whispered.

"Can you at least try not to say that out loud?" Eli sparred with Grace.

"Eli, please just drop the act. You don't stand a chance." Grace chuckled. Eli shifted his eyes from Grace to Katie. Katie merely shrugged.

"And how do you know that?" Eli retorted confidently. Katie and Grace exchanged looks. There came Jessie… 

"Hi Eli." Jessie smiled at him. Eli gave his sister a hug. Their father was behind her, with the bag of groceries in his hand, and put it on the table near Grace.

"Jessie! I missed you!" Eli said happily. 

"I missed you too." Then, after parting from Eli's embrace, Jessie turned her attention to Katie…

"And you…" Jessie said slyly, which surprised both Katie and Eli. Moving in front of Katie, Jessie then surprised everyone even more, when she pulled Katie closer to her, and gave her one mind-blowing kiss… 

Rick immediately turned away so he wouldn't be able to see, Grace plastered a wide smile on her face, and Eli just had the biggest shock of all…

And Katie let herself get lost in the kiss…

When Jessie pulled away from Katie, she grinned at the dark blonde, held her right hand, and led her out of the kitchen. Rick finally let out his breath, Eli's jaw is still on the floor, and Grace started laughing…

"What the hell was that?" Eli turned to face his father, who merely shrugged. He had no choice but to turn his head to Grace, searching for an answer. And his stepsister is still laughing.

"I have a feeling that it's me you're laughing at." Eli said knowingly.

"Hell yes." Grace is still laughing, making Eli blush.

"What was that?" Eli frowned.

"I guess Jessie was marking her territory." Grace shook her head at the priceless reaction on Eli's face… 

Jessie and Katie were heading up the attic bedroom, and Katie still couldn't believe what Jessie had just done…

"You didn't want to kiss me in the cab." Katie looked at Jessie curiously.

"Are you complaining?" Jessie raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well, no, but---"

"Good." Jessie, who's surprisingly devious, gave Katie a mischievous smile, and walked ahead of her, leaving Katie with her mouth open in confusion.

Knocks on the front door… Tad was the only person in the living room, and the nearest to the door. Sighing in frustration, he got up from the couch and opened the door to a guy he had never seen before…

"Hi." The stranger greeted with a smile. Tad, considering the mood he was in, barely moved a face muscle. 

"Can I help you?" Tad rather sounded harsh, but the stranger, thinking a moment, decided to let it past.

"I'm Parker Davis." 

"So?" Tad is surly and unhappy and this conversation with this stranger whom he finds too cocky isn't helping to lift up his mood at all.

"Uh, is Grace here?" The man, who introduced himself as Parker, is obviously in control of himself, and did not even try to match Tad's irritation. The mention of Grace's name perked up Tad's ear, and made him gauge the stranger in front of him from head to foot. 

"Do you know her?" 

"I'm her fiancé." 

Upon hearing the new information, it's as if Tad heard something inside him break… He had considered different, possible scenarios in this reunion with Grace, but this is a situation he never imagined to be one of those…

Forcing himself back to time present, he motioned for Parker to come in, and never said another word to the man who Grace will be marrying…

DINNER…

The table is already set, and everybody is starting to gather around the table. Few of those who are still missing are Jessie and Katie, who just finished preparing at the attic bedroom…

"Your dad hates me." Katie voiced out what she had been feeling since they arrived that day.

"No, he doesn't." Jessie gave Katie a reassuring smile.

"Yeah, right. The only words that I can remember he said to me were 'yes' and 'no' whenever I ask him questions." Katie rolled her eyes.

"Baby, dad's not really good at this stuff." Jessie unconsciously called Katie 'baby', making Katie's looked at her in surprise, which she didn't notice. 

It sounded odd in her ears, but it was a good odd… Katie couldn't help but smile. 

"Neither am I. I've never met a girlfriend's parents before." 

"Which means you'll probably get along well." Jessie stared at Katie; she looked amazing…

"My conclusion is far different from yours." 

"Well, this isn't an argument, and I'm sticking to mine. My dad likes you." Jessie said firmly. Katie shrugged.

"Not that it matters, right? He doesn't have to like me three days from now." Katie reminded both of them about their upcoming 'break up'. Their agreement is about to end, and the reminder did not exactly cheer them up… After a momentary staring at each other, both looked away…

"Yeah. You're only supposed to help me experience what it's like to be in a relationship with a woman, and this thing between us is just an experiment… I'll make sure to remember that." Jessie said without looking at Katie. Her words struck something in the dark blonde… 

An awkward moment…

"Just so you know, your next girlfriend will probably experience the same thing with your dad…" Katie tried to joke. Jessie gave her a brief smile, and descended the staircase. 

"Sure…" Jessie replied with a resigned sigh… Katie, confused by Jessie's reaction, followed her to the dining room downstairs…

At the dining table… Every member of the Sammler-Manning household are present, with guests, of course. After saying grace, dinner finally started. Rick thanked Parker for coming, and mentioned his relationship with Grace, which turned Jessie's and Katie's head in Tad's direction in surprise. Neither of them knew that Grace is engaged. Likewise, Rick acknowledged Katie's and Tad's presence, which made Katie smile, because finally she saw Jessie's father smile back at her.

It was almost a perfect dinner, except that there are people around the table who aren't very happy…

Grace and Parker are obviously holding hands under the table as they talked with Rick and Lily about the plans on their upcoming wedding. Zoe and Eli are busying catching up. Jessie and Katie were cautious as to how Tad was feeling; he barely threw a look at Grace's direction throughout dinner, but they were pretty sure he had been tortured listening to the wedding talk. Jessie barely paid any attention to Katie, which the dirty blonde couldn't understand. There was certainly nothing that she did to anger Jessie…

_Or was there?..._ Certainly, Katie couldn't recall anything.

Eventually, dinner came to an end. It's late, and the parents retreated to their bedrooms. The youngest of them all, Zoe, headed to her old room but stayed up a little later. Jessie headed to the attic without a word to Katie, which got Katie scratching her head. Parker finally bid his goodbye to the family and to his fiancée, and Grace ushered him outside…

Upon hearing Parker's car speed away, Tad followed Grace out, before she could even come back. They stood at the porch, facing each other… They never said a word to each other during dinner…

"You never wanted me to find you." Tad sounded hurt… Too hurt, it almost made Grace cry…

"Pin, I'm tired, it's cold, and---" Grace tried to walk past by Tad but he blocked her.

"Your Boston address was fake. Your phone number was fake. All of it was fake, wasn't it? Those things you said to me were lies." Tad looked at her with accusing eyes.

"I never lied to you." Grace stared back with her own piercing eyes.

"You said you love me." 

Pause…

"Really, Pin? We spent A DAY together in Prague." Grace pointed out.

"But you said it to me. It wasn't a dream. YOU SAID YOU LOVE ME." Tad moved closer to Grace.

"So what, Pin, so what?" Grace growled at him.

"Does that mean anything to you at all?" 

"Did it mean anything to you?" Grace is obviously furious now. 

"Funny you had to ask! I searched the whole Massachusetts for you. And when I couldn't find you I tried to search you on the web. There are like one thousand Grace Mannings' in America, do you even know that?! I went through every profile, every detail, and when I finally found a real address for you in San Francisco, you were gone and left no traces behind. Now you're asking me if it meant anything to me?!" Tad raised his voice. 

Katie was currently in the living room and almost jumped at the sound of Tad's voice. Her eyes shifted to the direction of the door…

At the porch, Tad aggressively leaned down, wrapped his arms around Grace, and captured her lips with his…

For a few seconds, Grace didn't fight him, nor responded to him… Then she pushed him away… Grace's eyes turned into steel and stared at Tad without blinking…

"You never said anything back…" Grace did not mask her anger anymore.

"What?"

"I said I love you but you didn't say anything back… It was your fault… I'm engaged now, and you don't have the right to just come waltzing back into my life… Just leave me alone Pin, please… I don't need any distraction right now…" Grace said, pleading… And finally, Tad let her walk past by him…

It was indeed cold outside. Tad stared into the night, and pondered the could-be-conclusion of his story with Grace. 

_Worst Christmas ever… _Tad, after a few seconds of sitting alone on the top of the porch staircase felt something cold trickling down his cheeks… Tears are falling from his eyes… 

"You don't have to go through the pain alone…" The comforting voice came from behind him. He didn't have to turn his head… The owner of the voice came to sit beside him, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders…

For a while they sat there, Tad leaned his head against Katie's… He cried his heart out… 

"I didn't know she meant that much to you…" 

"Yeah…"

"I'm sorry for thinking you were crazy." Katie apologized and Tad let out a short chuckle. 

"You're not exactly Ms. Hopeless Romantic, Kat, I get it." He wiped his tears… Katie stared at his face for a moment…

"I'm sorry that it had to end this way…"

"Well, lesson learned: don't let it just slip away…" Tad said in a lecturing tone.

"What's 'it' exactly?" 

"True love, Kat." 

Pause… 

"I don't really know what to say to make you feel better." 

"You don't have to say anything. It's enough that you lend me your shoulders to cry on…" 

Katie and Tad exchanged smiles… They stayed at the porch longer despite the cold. The sat in silence. Later, Tad spoke…

"Why are you here, Katie?"

"I don't know what you mean." Katie turned her head to face him.

"First, you propose a week-long relationship to a decent pharmacologist, and then you came here to meet her family. What's the deal?" 

"There's no deal."

"Really?" Tad is not buying it.

"Really."

"I don't believe you."

They fell in silence again… 

"She was the reason why I left Stanford." Katie's revelation made Tad turn his head, almost making it snap, and for a while, making him totally forget about what just happened with Grace…

"What?"

"The, uh… I broke my heart when I was in Stanford. New York was my escape; my sort of salvation from a really devastating heartache…" Katie confessed. Tad stared in surprise…

"So I was right all along? A broken heart forced you out of Stanford?" 

"I guess you could say that…"

"And Jessie is…?"

"The person who changed my life forever. We're friends, really close friends. She was dating Aiden, and I was dating Damien, Alex's brothers… Then one day, I woke up, and all of a sudden, I was in love with her…" Katie smiled bitterly as she recalled the pain she felt…

"I don't know when or how it happened… It just did. It felt good, and it tortured me at the same time. Then I decided to go…"

"Why?" Tad couldn't believe Katie ran away.

"Because I couldn't handle it. I knew that I want to be with Jessie, but the feelings are new to me, I didn't know what to do. So I left… She was happy with her boyfriend anyway, and I was unhappy with mine…"

"You should have at least told her… Like I should have told Grace…" 

Pause…

"Should have's wouldn't matter now, would it?" Katie said.

"Does Jessie know now?"

"No, and I intend not to tell her." Katie said firmly.

"Why?" Tad frowned.

"Because I've moved on."

"And proposing this one-week charade of relationship with Jessie and coming over to meet the family do not mean anything at all?" Tad stared at Katie with his cross-examining eyes…

"No. It's better that way." 

"Whatever you say, Singer." 

Attic bedroom… Jessie had been lying on her back, the space beside her still empty, and it's been too long without Katie now. She knew she probably annoyed the dirty blonde for being a little distant during dinner, but who's to blame? Katie kept reminding her that their 'relationship' would be over in a week…

She heard footsteps coming up. Jessie waited, and finally, felt someone else's presence in the room. Katie walked towards the closet and pulled the top drawer, picked up some sleeping clothes, and changed into it. Jessie, by the way, couldn't help herself but get a peek of Katie's bare back… 

She blushed and immediately closed her eyes. Moments later, she felt Katie climb into bed beside her… 

Pause…

What surprised Jessie, and excite her, was when Katie turned in the bed, positioning herself on top of the astounded blonde. For a while, Jessie held her breath, as she felt Katie's warm breath on her face… 

"What are you doing?" Jessie sounded like a puppet being choked with a pillow.

"Staring down at my girlfriend's beautiful face." Katie grinned.

"Don't get used to it." 

"Why not?" Katie whined.

"It will be over in three days…" Jessie spoke her share of reminder. Katie narrowed her eyes on her.

"Way to ruin the moment, Jess." 

"I'm being realistic." 

Katie and Jessie held each other's gaze; not one of them wanting to give up. It's like that sport in 'Over the Top', except that they are using their eyes and not their arms. 

"I was just about to ask you not to do that." 

A third, female voice made Katie turn in surprise, on the wrong side of the bed, by the way, making her fall on the floor… The lawyer immediately got up to regain her composure, only to see a grinning Zoe looking amused. Jessie got up from her bed.

"Don't you knock?" Katie growled at Zoe.

"No. Jessie didn't tell you?" Zoe teased. Katie shook her head and took her side of the bed. Jessie smiled at Zoe.

"What were you saying?"

"Do me a favor. Whatever you two were planning to do before I came up here, save it for New York. I'm sure you'll have plenty of time for each other back there. Not that you haven't done that too many times before you even flew in here." Zoe's rather blunt wordings made Jessie blush.

"We weren't doing anything." Jessie said defensively.

"Why would we want to cede to your request?" Katie asked, and Jessie turned to her with a what-the-hell look.

"Just so you didn't notice, you have a really thin floor, and my bedroom is right below. I can hear everything." Zoe warned them.

"Who cares?" Katie plastered a devious grin, making Zoe wince and Jessie's eyes widen.

"We won't be doing anything, I promise." Jessie turned to Zoe, making sure she was firm.

"Of course we are, baby." Katie winked at Jessie, making Jessie turn really red. Zoe rolled her eyes. 

"Oh God, no. Jessie's girlfriend is a sex-addict. I'm plugging my i-pod on." Zoe shook her head and left the attic. 

Jessie turned her head to Katie's direction, her jaw dropping in disbelief.

"Why did you say that to Zoe?"

"I don't know, but it was fun." Katie grinned, then she pulled the blanket to her and lay down the bed.

"She'll think we're sleeping together." Jessie said, making Katie laugh.

"So? You're my girlfriend. Come on, let's sleep. I'm tired." Jessie stared at Katie figure beside her; the dirty blonde had her eyes closed already. Jessie took in the moment to stare at the woman beside her for a while, before she lay down again. When she switched her lamp off, she felt Katie's right arm wrap around her, as Katie moved her body closer to her…

_Oh my God… _Jessie closed her eyes… She wondered whether she could ever sleep through the night with Katie's proximity…

Jessie let out a deep breath… 


	12. The Good in Goodbye

**CHAPTER 11 THE GOOD IN GOODBYE**

December 25…

Katie was in the front row of the church, sitting in between Zoe and Jessie. Beside Jessie were Rick, Lily, Grace, Parker, and Eli. The dark blonde stared at the man preaching in front of them about the importance of Christmas; the arrival of the world's savior…

Not to be negative or anything, but Katie's not the religious type. She believes in God, but has no devotion or anything. She barely went to church. She couldn't even remember the last time she did. In the past years since she had become a lawyer, everything in her life had been just about her; she never really cared. She never found any pleasure by sitting in the front row, along with this kind of conservative church people, whom she thinks is boring, and then listen to a corny sermon by a man who's probably a sinner, just like herself…

Her presence here is not exactly voluntary. But it was part of the job of trying to impress Jessie's family. Although Jessie had to literally pull her out of bed, and after a little goading, which includes a promise for a kiss just so she would go, Katie finally gave in to Jessie's request. Hence, her present at this church…

_Along with these boring church people…_

What can I say, the promise was tempting; something that Katie couldn't really say no to, especially when it's Jessie…

_Ah, Jessie… _Katie let out a deep sigh, not realizing that Jessie had turned her head, obviously hearing her. She pondered about last night, her confession with Tad. Her law firm partner stirred some kind of agitation in her, and made her think deeper as to the real reason why she's really here, at Christmas, with Jessie and her family…

_It was supposed to be a week of fun, but meaningless relationship with the person I used to love… _

Used to…

And then she turned her head, and her eyes met Jessie's. The blonde smiled at her; her blue eyes, as if asking her if she's okay. It's obvious that Jessie could sense that something was bothering her. Katie smiled back. They looked at each other's eyes for a few more seconds, which didn't get past a watchful Zoe, who couldn't help but plaster a smile of her own…

Katie turned her attention back to the preacher man. She was surprised that she's actually listening to what she always referred to as a 'corny' sermon. He was actually making sense. Realization does not hit Katie Singer everyday…

_Maybe I should attend the church more. It would be a breath of fresh air listening to someone else making a point… _

Love… Sacrifice… Those words found its way into Katie's heart. It felt too familiar, and somehow, she didn't like how it sounds… That's when she felt Jessie reach for her right hand, and held it… Without turning to look at Jessie, she stared at their hands, intertwined perfectly on top of her thigh…

The ride back to the manor was fun, if not headache-causing; thanks to Katie and Zoe's childish messing around while Jessie shook her head as she watched and listened. Lily was amused at how fast Katie and Zoe get along. But considering the first impression Katie made on her, which is, rest assured, a very good one, she's not very surprised.

Reaching their destination, everyone got off the family van as Rick parked outside the house and not the garage, explaining that he will be running off for some office errand as soon as they finish breakfast. Just then, Parker's car parked next to the van, and a non-smiling Grace, Parker, and a grinning Eli, joined them. With Rick and Lily walking ahead, followed by Eli, Katie, and Jessie, and before they could even reach the porch, the sound of a moody Grace made everyone turn around…

"What the f--" Grace wasn't able to finish her sentence as she immediately turn around, looking absolutely furious, at Zoe, who had just thrown a snowball at the back of her head.

"Whow, relax." Zoe made a step back, aware that Grace didn't find the snowball very funny. After giving her one last scolding look, Grace marched away from Zoe, with Parker following her, into the house. Rick and Lily exchanged looks.

"Everybody watch out, the grinch has returned." Zoe said sarcastically. From where she stood, Jessie replied.

"Zoe…" Jessie said with a warning tone.

"What? Am I the only one who noticed how grouchy she is today? It's Christmas for God's sake. And it's not like we didn't throw snowballs at each other's faces before. It's tradition!" Zoe shook her head.

Katie watched in amusement, without realizing that Zoe had another snowball in her hand, and threw it at Jessie. Surprised, but definitely not angry, Jessie hastily began making her snowball, along with Eli, and Zoe forming her own snowball again, and all of a sudden, Katie just found herself in the middle of a snowball fire. Rick and Lily, instead of following Grace into the house, remained watching the entertaining scene before them: the grown-ups acting like children all over again.

The Sammler siblings were up against Zoe, and realizing that Katie was just standing there laughing, Jessie curled up a big ball of snow, and threw it at Katie's direction, hitting the dark blonde on the chest. Slightly wincing, Katie turned her head at Jessie, as Zoe and Eli continued throwing snowballs at each other.

"Did you just hit me?" Katie feigned disbelief. She starts to bend down, gathering up some snow in her own hands.

"Oh my God, are you hurt?" Jessie mocked concern. The funny expression on her face made Lily laugh.

"You know what, Jess?" Katie narrowed her eyes on her.

"What?"

"Payback's a bitch." Grinning, Katie then threw her snowball at Jessie, hitting the blonde on the right shoulder, and starting a one-on-one war between them. And then, taking opposite posts on their snow-covered lawn, both tried their best to get ahead in making their snowballs. Katie sided with Zoe, and Jessie, with Eli.

Unfortunately for Jessie and Eli, Katie is faster in making snowballs, and Zoe has amazing target skills. Figuring they were losing, Jessie attacked the other team, particularly setting her sights on Katie, with a big snowball ready on her hand. Seeing her, Katie grinned, preparing herself for the onslaught by her girlfriend…

_My girlfriend…_ Katie momentarily let the thought echo in her head, in turn making her lose concentration. And Jessie takes advantage of the moment… Katie felt the snowball hitting her in the head.

"Hey, you cheated!" Katie retaliated. Not having anymore ammunition, the two, instead of forming snowballs, gathered snow to throw at each other as they tried to avoid each other at the same time.

Laughing, and finally getting tired of messing around, Eli and Zoe took a break, and focused their attention on Jessie and Katie.

"I don't cheat!" Jessie shouted back. She immediately dodged a handful of snow Katie had just thrown her.

_Yes you did, you invaded my mind again…_

"Say mercy, Jess!" Katie then began tackling Jessie down.

"You forgot something." Jessie grinned, swiftly but gently kicking Katie's foot from behind with her own, making them tumble down the snow. As they wrestled for dominance, Jessie, not so surprisingly, overpowered Katie, and pinned her down, and positioned herself on top of her…

Jessie stared down at Katie's face, forgetting for a while the presence of other people around them. Eli and Zoe exchanged devious looks. Rick stared uncomfortable, not knowing exactly what to do, and Lily headed into the house, not intending to disturb Katie and Jessie's 'moment'…

"I have a black belt in taekwondo." Jessie reminded Katie. Pausing before answering back, Katie displayed her own mischievous smile.

Pause…

"You forgot something yourself."

"I DON'T forget things." Jessie matched the look of mischief on Katie's face.

But Katie Singer is naturally and genetically cunning…

"You promised me a kiss…"

Pause… Jessie actually contemplated kissing Katie or not. Lost in the moment, considering their proximity, her eyes were locked down at Katie's lips, which smoothness she could perfectly remember, and probably never forget…

"Ehrrm!" Rick's loud, and very fake cough, forced Jessie back into her senses, making her get up from her position on top of Katie, which she had felt too comfortable. Katie got up with a victorious smile in her face, but not without a slight blushing on her cheeks.

Instead of walking with Katie, Rick called Jessie and let her walk ahead of him. Eli and Zoe exchanged looks again, and laughed. Eli walked past by Katie, and entered the front door with Rick, leaving Zoe and Katie behind. Katie noticed Zoe shaking her head.

"What?" Katie asked, sounding a bit defensive.

"Making out is fun. It's excellent foreplay, but in front of your girlfriend's family? I'm not so sure. You, I could watch. But Jessie? FREAKY." Zoe exaggerated a wince, and faked goosebumps. Katie laughed. Then, walking to the porch, Katie assumed her previous sitting position with Tad last night. She sat on the staircase. Zoe looked at her in amusement.

"Are you coming in? It's cold out here." Zoe asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm staying here for a while. I like looking outside. It's a picturesque neighborhood, and it feels like… Home." Katie smiled. Zoe sat beside Katie, and stared at the 'picturesque neighborhood' Katie's talking about. It's where she grew up, so she doesn't appreciate it as much as Katie. It's actually weird that someone finds their neighborhood appealing.

"I'm surprised someone actually likes this place. But I'm glad that you do. Now there's something to keep you coming back. Rick likes you." Zoe smiled at Katie.

"He does?" Katie found it unbelievable.

"He has a weird way of showing it, but yeah, he does." Zoe chuckled.

Pause…

"Where's Tad? He's kind'a cute." Zoe joked. Katie pretended to vomit, and then laughed.

"He, uh… He's still at the hotel. But he's not coming back. Something came up in New York, and--"

"You don't have to lie to me. I heard them arguing last night… I know who he is." Zoe referred to Tad's confrontation with Grace. Apparently, it wasn't only her who heard everything…

"So, Tad is Pin, huh?" Zoe asked. Katie nodded… "What are the odds?" Zoe shook her head. She knows the Prague story as much as Jessie knows it. And now, it's clear why Grace had been so grumpy…

_But with Parker around?..._

"How is he?" Zoe inquired.

"Well… Broken, obviously. I haven't had the chance to talk to him today. Maybe I'll call him later."

"It had never been so easy for Grace to forget about him, you know." Zoe defended her sister.

"What are you saying?"

"How can he be so mad at my sister to the point that he's blaming her for what happened between them?" Zoe frowned.

"I don't think Tad's blaming Grace. But she left his heart hanging in thin air and disappeared. Grace didn't want him to find her. I'm not taking sides here. But I think we should understand how Tad feels. I told him he was crazy for hanging on to something which is probably better to let go. But he never gave up on Grace. Never." Katie defended Tad.

"How would you feel after you told someone you love him or her, and never hear anything in return?" Zoe asked.

_My greatest fear…_

"Do you love my sister?" Zoe asked, straight to the point.

"Excuse me?" Katie squawked. It's the question she wasn't ready to answer.

"Good-looking but deaf. I knew no one could be so perfect." Zoe chuckled.

"Why are you asking me that?"

"Isn't this what I'm supposed to do, make my sister's girlfriend squirm under my examining eyes?" Zoe gave Katie a wink, making the other laugh.

"And I think you're doing a great job." Katie turned her eyes away from Zoe. She could feel as if the other girl could see through her.

"Thanks. But you're not getting off that easy." Zoe looked intently at Katie. The lawyer could feel her face warm.

Pause…

"You're really not answering that?"

"I'm not obliged to. I don't have any responsibility to tell you anything." Katie just couldn't be swayed. With Zoe eyeing her, Katie finally turned to meet Zoe's eyes again.

"Stop staring." Katie said, feeling rather embarrassed.

"Oh my gosh, you're blushing? A tough lawyer like you can actually blush?" Zoe laughed.

"You're embarrassing me."

"What? As horrified as I was, you were about to have sex in front of me last night, and you weren't embarrassed. My question is simple. Do you love Jessie?"

"If I say yes, will you shut up?"

"Maybe." Zoe raised an eyebrow.

Katie looked around to see if anyone else was there. There was no one. She thought for a few more seconds, then looked back up at Zoe.

"Then yes, I love Jessie." Katie smiled at Zoe. Zoe's right eyebrow remained higher than the other, as she stared at Katie.

"You sound like you don't mean it." Zoe frowned.

"I don't have to convince you. You're not her." Looking away, the sad smile in Katie's face came unnoticed.

Pause…

"Why do you love Jessie?"

"I thought you said you're going to shut up." Katie chuckled at Zoe.

"I said maybe." Zoe pokes Katie on the right arm.

"Jessie was right when she told me that you are the prying-kind, except for the 'tolerable' part." Katie joked. Zoe mocked a threatening look at her, making both of them laugh.

"So this is how it's gonna be? Instead of answering my question, you'll just turn it around?"

Katie turned to look at Zoe again. Sure the younger Manning is prying, definitely childish at some points for being curious… But she looks and sounds sincere…

"I don't know…" Katie whispered her answer to the question. Zoe leaned in closer just so she could hear. Katie fell into silence, apparently lost in her own world of thoughts; thoughts which run through Katie's head, like a silent, old movie. She watched every slide, depicting every moment she spent with Jessie… Those were great moments…

"There are things in your life that you never planned; it just happens, you know. It catches you off-guard, at the moment when you're most unprepared. And you begin to feel these feelings that you couldn't even define, because it's something you have never felt or experienced before… You'll never know the how or the why, because the more you search for answers, the more it doesn't make sense…" Katie looks straight into Zoe's eyes. Zoe could have easily made fun of Katie's cheesy state, but realized that that would only stop Katie from opening up…

"Maybe it's those little things, you know… The way Jessie smiles, the way she speaks… The way she tucks her hair behind her ear, or the face she makes when she's shy or embarrassed… You're asking me why I love Jessie, but really, I don't know how to answer that correctly, or if even there is a right answer to that…" Katie sighs… Recalling those memories with Jessie reminded her of something else…

A deep, familiar feeling and the pain that goes with it that she had learned to forget…

"You guys, my dad's in a hurry. He wants to open the gifts now. You think you two could stop flirting for a while?" A joking soft voice came from behind them, which belongs to no one else but Jessie.

The blonde's interruption snapped Katie back into the present, realizing the vulnerability she had shown Zoe; the things that she had said; the things that she meant…

Those weren't exactly lies just to shut up Zoe, or to convince her about the 'relationship' she has with Jessie; those are truths from the painful past; the part of her life that she never really wanted to revisit, but couldn't help to at times.

Katie immediately regretted saying it…

"Jealous much?" Zoe grinned at Jessie, got up from the staircase, and headed for the door, but not without giving Katie a Machiavellian smile. Katie, while approaching the door where Jessie stood and waited for them, their eyes met, and for a moment, locked with each other's…

Katie smiled, and Jessie smiled back. The dark blonde silently wished Jessie never heard any part of what she told Zoe…

Inside the manor, the family is gathered around the 8 feet tall Christmas tree, and some of them are opening their gifts already. Picking up the presents she bought for them, reserving the one for Jessie at the attic bedroom, Katie began distributing the gifts to Rick, Lily, Zoe, Grace, and Eli. No gift for Parker, since she had no idea of his existence.

"Thanks! Can I get your address?" Zoe asked Katie as the lawyer handed her the gift.

"Planning to stalk me now?" Katie joked.

"I'm sending you your gift through FedEx, doofus." Zoe rolled her eyes.

Lily and Grace then thanked Katie with a hug, and Eli was about to follow, but seeing his sister giving him a 'don't-you-dare-cross-me' look, Eli settled with a handshake, to Katie's amusement.

"Katie?" The serious, authoritative voice of Jessie's father made Katie turn and face him. She has no idea how to respond. Then she found herself being led to the side of the living room, slightly away from everyone. Of course everyone noticed, but pretended they didn't; the room suddenly fell quiet…

"I'm sorry if I haven't said so much to you, or if I appear to be unfriendly… I'm a father, I tend to do that, and yes, it's stupid, but…" Rick trailed off. He looks up to meet Katie's eyes; Katie tried not to blink.

"Children grow up. It's a reality that parents are finding so hard to admit…" Rick continued. Katie isn't sure what to say or do. She just stood in front of him, listening.

"You know, Jessie used to be this small," Rick lifts up her hands, demonstrating the size of a baby, "and she cried a lot. I remember those nights that her mother and I could only get a few minutes of sleep, because every now and then, Jessie would wake up, and start wailing, and…" Rick chuckles… "And now, whenever I look at her, I couldn't help but still see her as my newborn little baby… You understand what I'm saying, right?" Rick asked Katie. Obviously clueless, but definitely scared of disappointing Rick, Katie nods frantically.

"Uhm, yeah, I think I do." Katie forced a nervous smile.

"Thank you…"

"Oh, uhm… You're welcome, sir." Katie thought Rick was referring to the gift.

"I have never seen my daughter so happy… Thank you." Rick repeated. And this time, he embraced her. Everyone who's eavesdropping was surprised by Rick's act, but not as much as Katie. Awkwardly, Katie returned the hug. When Rick let go of her, he picked up the last remaining gift under the tree, and handed it to Katie.

"Merry Christmas, Katie." Rick smiled.

"Thank you, sir, but you didn't have to…"

"Why do you keep calling me 'sir'? I'm no royal." Rick joked.

"Mr. Sammler?" Katie asked.

"Rick sounds more comfortable." Rick then turned to Lily. "As much as I hate to go, I have to make an office errand now. It's untimely, but it's work and it's urgent, so, I better get going." Rick kissed Lily, then turned to Katie again. "I'll see you later, Katie." Rick then picked up his keys, and headed for the door…

Katie stood there, holding the gift that Rick gave her. It felt good that Rick likes her. Since she came with Jessie to meet the family, all she ever wanted was for them to like her. It was touching; Rick thanked her for making Jessie happy. But at the same time, she felt so guilty…

What will Rick tell her the moment he finds out that what exists between Jessie and her is an experimental relationship that wouldn't even last 'til New Year? When she turned to Jessie's direction, she saw the same pain reflected in Jessie's eyes. Jessie looked away first, then the blonde headed to her attic bedroom…

Jessie sat on her bed, pondering about the conversation her dad just had with Katie; it was heartwarming. It almost made her cry, for her father unconditionally accepted the person that her heart chose to love…

If not for the conditional relationship that they have…

'_I'll be yours for a week…'_ Jessie remembered Katie's tempting proposition. That proposition had put her in a major guilt trip right now… She got up from the bed, and headed to the drawer in her bedside table. She pulled it, and picked up an old book inside. It was a fiction written in 1938 by Elizabeth Bowen, entitled "The Death of the Heart". It's not the very contents of it that attracted her to read the book before; it was actually the title. Then, she opened it, and finds an old picture inside…

A photo of her and Katie a few days after they first met… Jessie stared at the photo on her hands. It doesn't seem so long ago when for the first time, she laid eyes on Katie. It was a very weird first meeting; Jessie knew there was something special about Katie from the very start…

"Was it your idea?"

The obviously enraged female voice made Jessie turn. Suddenly embarrassed, the blonde immediately hid the picture back into the drawer.

"I would know if you would tell me what you're talking about." Jessie was taken aback by Grace's fury, but kept herself calm.

"About Pin." Grace said impatiently.

"Can you be a little more specific? I don't really know what I've done wrong here." Jessie is usually infuriated easily. But this time, she knew it would be better not to match Grace's anger. What's transpiring between them reminds the blonde of how it used to be between her and her stepsister.

"Ignorance doesn't suit you, Arra Jessica. Why did you have to drag Pin all the way here? You're not even close!"

"Drag? I didn't DRAG him. I invited him, and he came voluntarily… He really wanted to see you, Grace." Jessie replied.

"You didn't even think whether I want to see him or not?"

"Don't you?" Jessie raised an eyebrow. Grace merely stared back.

Pause…

"I was doing you a favor, Grace. You're my sister. I can't let you be unhappy just because you're too scared to face how you really feel."

"Oh, like you were when it took you YEARS to run after Katie?" Grace said sarcastically. Affronted, Jessie gave Grace a sharp look.

"That's a foul." Jessie was stone-cold.

"You're in no position to say what's good and what's not good for me, more so pass a judgment whether or not Pin is who I need to be happy." Grace returned Jessie's sharp look.

"What's going on here?" A perplexed Zoe was coming up the stairs. The younger sibling had heard the confrontation from her bedroom below. She had gotten used to Jessie and Grace's bickering when they were in highschool, but it's been a long time, and she had never heard the two argue since, until now.

The fiery exchange of look between Grace and Jessie was intimidating. Completely ignoring the photographer sister's arrival, Jessie spoke again.

"You love him, Grace. Come on, let's get past all the bullshit and let's be honest here."

"I'm engaged, Arra, okay?" Grace sounded annoyed.

"We both know you can't let go of him Grace, no matter how many engagement rings you wear, it will always be Tad." Jessie said with conviction. Grace was gritting her teeth.

"You don't know anything about how I feel. I love Parker."

"Okay, then tell me straight to my face that Tad doesn't mean anything to you at all; not anymore, and that you can move on with your life without having to think about him ever again." Jessie challenged Grace. Zoe shifted her eyes and fixed her attention to Grace, who stood there contemplating what to say…

Pause…

"It's simple, Grace… Who the hell is Parker, anyway? He just came to your life and now you're marrying him? He'd be lucky if you even love him half as much as you love Tad. You know what this whole engagement thing is to me? It's to fill the void that Tad had left in your heart the moment YOU left him."

"Don't psychoanalyze me." Grace's voice trembled.

"Well, you know what? No one else can fill that void… And you know I'm right." Jessie gave Grace one last look, and then left the attic room…

Grace then walked to the end of the bed and sat on it. Zoe watched her with sympathy, as Grace buried her face in her hands…

"Shit…" Grace muttered under her breath.

"If there's nothing more between you and Tad, you're definitely acting otherwise."

"Why am I not surprised that you're siding with Arra?" Grace looked up at Zoe.

"This isn't taking sides, Grace. No one is against you. But… Letting Tad go for the first time was an excusable mistake. You weren't ready for him. To let go of him the second time when you had the chance that might never come again, that's plain stupid… But if you really want to marry Parker, not that we hate him, I don't think we can stop you anyway? It's still your choice." Zoe then walked towards Grace, and embraced her. When she pulled away, she looked at Grace again… "All we want is for you to be happy." Zoe smiled at Grace, pat her on the shoulder, then left the attic.

_Great, two 'helpful' little sisters are just what I need… _Grace sighed, then sprawled herself on the bed…

Hours later…

Katie was alone in the living room, and was reading Eli's old copy of Maxim. She would have read the newspaper, which she usually does, if it wasn't for Sarah Shahi's amazing cover… While staring at the sexy actress' bronze body, Jessie slumped on the space at the couch beside Katie…

"I always thought the L word girls are hot, especially Sarah Shahi and Kate French… Oh, and Mia Kirshner, of course. I should give them a call when we break up." Katie intended it to be a joke, but she got a not-very-amused look from Jessie.

"Okay, not funny… Sorry…" Katie said. She suddenly felt guilty for ogling Sarah Shahi on the magazine.

_Damn Eli…_ It was Jessie's brother who gave her the magazine in the first place…

"Have you seen Grace?" Jessie asked.

"She left hours ago with Parker."

Pause…

"What's wrong?" Katie asked Jessie, who did not answer nor turn to look at her. Katie could see something is definitely wrong…

"I think Grace hates me…" Jessie turned to face Katie, and her blue eyes reflected the regret and sadness that she feels at the moment…

"What? Why would you even think that? Grace loves you."

"You don't know what happened…" Jessie leaned back into the couch.

"So tell me…"

Pause…

"She wasn't very happy that I invited Tad to come here." Jessie admitted.

"Yeah, that's why Tad isn't here anymore…" Katie sighed.

"I didn't want to hurt anyone of them. I just want them to be happy, you know… I thought they would be. But I didn't know about Parker or their engagement, and I didn't know Grace wouldn't be thrilled to see Tad again…" Jessie looked helplessly at Katie.

"Jessie, don't blame yourself…"

"I'm not, I just… They love each other, I'm very sure of that. I was trying to help them, because the truth is, it's their fault that they are not together. They deserve a second chance, and they are wasting it…" Jessie then leaned closer to Katie, leaning her head on Katie's shoulder…

Pause…

"Was I wrong?"

"For what?"

"For interfering…" Jessie sighed.

"No… I think you're a good sister and a good friend…" Katie smiled, and leaned her head against Jessie's, whose head is rested on her left shoulder… She then turned her head, and slightly kissed Jessie's hair…

"Katie?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think you could ever fall in love?" Jessie asked in curiosity… Katie did not answer immediately…

"I have…" Katie replied softly, all the while thinking of one person only…

Jessie was surprised, but Katie didn't get to see her reaction as their heads are busy rested against each other's…

"What happened?"

"I wasn't prepared for it… It made me vulnerable; it's my weakness… I got scared, and I didn't think it was meant to be… Besides, she was happy with someone else, so I let it go…" Katie indirectly confessed; the confession slightly broke Jessie's heart, thinking of who could it possibly be, without knowing that Katie was referring to her…

"If given another chance with her, would you take it?"

Katie turned her head to look at Jessie, but Jessie's head remained rested on her left shoulder… It's as if Jessie's asking her if she would take a chance with her… Again…

"I'm not sure…" Katie sighed again…

"Why not?"

"Because it's not that simple…"

"It is simple. Either you want it or you don't. Either you still love her, or you don't…"

"It's not easy moving on, Jess… But once you have, it's not easy to open up your heart for that person again, especially if that's the only person who can hurt you… To be burned the second time might not be as bearable as the first…"

"How would you know if you wouldn't give it another chance?"

"It's easier said than done…" Katie leaned her head against Jessie's again. The two fell in silence, thinking about the things they just told each other…

That's when Grace stormed into the house without warning, startling Jessie and Katie, making them jump away from each other…

"Grace…" Jessie was relieved to see Grace again.

"You have to help me." Grace said in a rush.

"Okay… But you need to relax." Katie was amused. Grace was pacing the living room in agitation. Katie and Jessie exchanged looks.

"Grace, I'm sorry--" Jessie was interrupted before she could finish.

"I broke the engagement." Grace said, in a rush again.

"What?!" Katie and Jessie asked in duet.

"Where's Pin?" Grace turned to Katie.

"Uhm, he's at his room at the Marriott… I'm not sure if he's still there though, he's flying back to New York in thirty minutes." Katie replied while glancing at the wall clock to make sure.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Grace pulled Jessie and Katie out of their seats to her car outside… Both confused, but not exactly complaining, they followed Grace…

Meanwhile, Tad had been at the airport since an hour ago. He was early for his flight, and then, his flight has been delayed. Annoyed, but couldn't really do anything about it, Tad sat on a bench, while holding a cup of starbucks on his right hand…

It wasn't a good Christmas… He got his heart broken for the second time. It doesn't feel good, but he doesn't regret it. It's painful, but it was worth a shot. At least now, he knew he really have to move on. Maybe Katie still has a lot of friends to set him up with. Now, he can date without thinking about Grace…

Heartache is just part of it all…

Then he heard the boarding call. Finally, he can go back to New York… Tad grabbed his luggage and got up from the bench and started to head to the ticket entrance…

"Don't go."

The voice made him stop. But he didn't turn around to see whom it belongs to…

"You're imagining it…" A sad smile crossed Tad's face, and he continued walking, only to hear the voice again…

"I don't want to lose you again…"

Finally, Tad turned around, to find Grace standing not so far behind him, with Katie and Jessie standing father behind… He could see the tears forming in Grace's eyes…

"I tried to hide from you because I thought it would be easier to forget you… What happened in Prague, between us, was something I never expected… It all happened so fast, we didn't have much time… But I was sure about how I feel for you… And when I told you that I love you, and you didn't say anything back--"

"I love you, Grace… I do love you… I should have said that before… I love you…" Tad's tears were the first to fall…

"I still love you, Pin…" Grace smiled, and tears came running down from her eyes… She walked towards Tad, and Tad walked towards her, meeting with a kiss…

A moment of watching, and Katie and Jessie turned their heads to catch each other looking, and both turned away at the same time, slightly red and awkward…

_At least some people have a happy ending… _Jessie thought…

At the manor…

It had been a pretty eventful Christmas: an engagement was broken, a new relationship was announced (Tad had to stay and be introduced to the family, which, of course, came as a shock to Rick and Lily, but nevertheless welcomed him), and Eli actually apologized for hitting on Katie. Jessie's brother had to go back to LA before dinner, and they finally said their goodbyes.

Attic…

Jessie came up after changing into her sleeping clothes, and she found Katie waiting for her, as she sat on the edge of the bed. She was holding something…

"Hey." Katie smiled at her.

"Hey back." Jessie smiled.

"Merry Christmas, Jess." Katie handed Jessie the gift. Jessie narrowed her eyes playfully at Katie, then reached for it.

"I thought I wasn't getting anything from you at all." Jessie joked.

"You of all people? Not gonna happen… Open it." Katie looked more excited than Jessie.

And Jessie did open the gift… As she realized what was inside, her jaw dropped in disbelief…

"Oh my God…"

"Exactly how I imagined you'd react."

Jessie pulled the necklace from the box, the one Katie bought from Tiffany's with Reewa… It looks like the exact same necklace that her grandmother gave her that she lost way back in college, in Stanford… She cried for days when she couldn't find it, and she remember Katie's promise, that one day, she'll get it back…

"It's not the same, I know, but at least you'll still have something to remember your grandmother."

"Katie, it's too expensive, you shouldn't have…"

"I wanted to." Katie smiled at Jessie. The blonde was staring back at her. It was like she wants to say something, but didn't say anything.

Jessie then moved closer to her, and embraced her… The warmth of Jessie's body against hers was comforting…

"Thank you…" Jessie whispered…

"Jessie…" Katie whispered back as they remained in each other's embrace…

"Yeah?" It's as if Jessie didn't want to let go…

"If things are different, and the relationship that we have is different from the kind that we have now, you know, the one-week thing… Do you think you can be happy with me?" Katie asked, nervously…

Jessie could feel the frantic beating of Katie's heart against her chest… Jessie didn't answer immediately… Was that a trick question? But before Jessie could answer, that 'maybe'…

"Guys, you--" Zoe, who is now at the top of the staircase, trailed off, upon seeing Jessie and Katie in their warm embrace. "Still can't get your hands off each other." Zoe chuckled.

Jessie and Katie pulled apart, but not hastily as they used to when someone 'walks on them' before. They kind of have gotten used to the teasing, which probably will be coming from Zoe any minute now…

"If you're planning to do the 'deed'," Zoe even quoted with her fingers, "you could at least make an effort of locking the door." She chuckled, noticing that Katie is blushing more than Jessie. Zoe grinned. "If you're interested, we'll be downstairs playing Twister." Zoe turned to leave. But not before mocking Katie again.

"Another Singer internal debate: Twister or sex? Hmm…" Zoe lifted her hands in the air, pretending to weigh the options… Then exaggerates when she drops one hand… "Sex?" Zoe deviously grins at Katie.

"Twister." Katie grinned back, and walked ahead of Zoe, leaving Zoe with Jessie. Zoe then turned to Jessie.

"Sorry, sis." Zoe shrugged, still with the wicked grin plastered on her face.

"None taken." Jessie joked.

"You coming down?"

"No, I'm gonna stay here and have some rest. You go have fun."

"You'll be fine without Katie by your side for a while?" Zoe teased.

"I think I can manage a few minutes without her." Jessie smiled. Then she watched as her stepsister descended the stairs…

Alone, Jessie lay on her bed, thinking of the last question by Katie that was left unanswered…

_I could have said yes…_

And she wondered why Katie even asked…


	13. Broken

**CHAPTER 12 BROKEN**

December 27… Lunch break…

The thought of her upcoming 'break up' with Katie is taking its toll on Jessie. Tomorrow, it's going to be all over. Katie will be going back to her usual night to night of flirting, while Jessie will have to agonizingly try not to think about it. The blonde sat quietly in the corner of a New York vegetarian restaurant that she frequented since arriving in the city. She isn't really eating her food, but brooding over the Christmas she spent with Katie, how it all made her fell, and now well her family accepted Katie…

_Only if it was all real…_

Jessie sighed. New Year would be a quite different occasion, and definitely different without Katie. Katie would probably be spending it in a posh New York party, along with other successful New York socialites, waiting for the dropping of the ball in Times Square, and holding on to a beautiful woman by her side… And probably kiss her when the clock ticks 12 midnight…

_Ah, shut it. This is pathetic…_

Jessie shakes her head as if that would throw all the negative thoughts away. But hey, it's harmless to try. She worries what to tell her family when she comes home for New Year, and this time, Katie-less. She knew that the truth would hurt them as much as it hurts her now…

"I hope you're not going back to work so soon." The voice made Jessie look up. Her blue eyes met a pair of hazel's.

"Hey." Jessie smiled at the other woman standing in front of her table.

"Having lunch alone? Where's your supposedly loving girlfriend?" Reewa teased.

"Katie's working. I think…" Jessie replied.

"Yes, I thought so. Maybe I could help you stare that plate down." Reewa joked, Jessie laughed. She didn't realize she was spacing out when Reewa came. The reporter motioned to the chair opposite Jessie. "May I?"

"Of course."

Reewa pulled the chair and sat on it.

Short silence. Jessie didn't really know what to say. Reewa and she never really had long conversations before. The reporter is nice, had always been, it's just that they never hang out much.

"I hope she didn't pass out when you introduced her to your parents." Reewa joked again.

"It would have made quite an impression." Jessie laughed again.

"So, she didn't?" Reewa feigned surprise.

"No… She was a bit scared. Well, I would be if I'd be meeting someone like my dad, but it went well. It was an awesome Christmas." Jessie smiled as she ran her thoughts again. Reewa stared intently at her, taking note of the kind of smile plastered in Jessie's face.

Jessie knew she should have been embarrassed that, like Tad and Alex, Reewa knew about the set up with Katie. But surprisingly for her, she felt rather relieved that some of their friends knew. It sort of helps her remind herself not to get lost in the lie…

_Because sometimes, it just feels so real…_

"So, Katie got past her fear of meeting the parents and all because of you? You should be really proud." Reewa congratulated her. Jessie slightly blushed.

"Does it even count? Our relationship is remotely real." Jessie sighed, not going unnoticed to Reewa.

Pause… Then after a few seconds of silence, Jessie heard Reewa let out a giggle, to Jessie's confusion.

"I'm sorry…" Reewa told Jessie when she realized the look on the blonde's face. "I just remembered something."

The confusion looked even more evident in Jessie's face…

"Can I be honest with you?" Reewa asked.

"Yeah, I guess."

"When we were in college, I had suspicions…" Reewa trailed off.

"Alex did warn me you have a lot of that." Jessie chuckled. Reporters are naturally suspicious.

"I only had one about you and Katie…" Reewa smiled.

"What?" Jessie looked curious. Reewa studied her first before continuing…

"I actually suspected you and Katie cheating on Aiden and Damien… With each other." Reewa waited for Jessie's reaction, which consist of a red face and a sheepish smile. Reewa continued when Jessie didn't, rather wasn't, able to say anything in response. "Maybe I was just imagining it. I have a really creative mind. But it wasn't totally baseless. You'll have to agree with me."

Jessie smiled. She and Katie acted more like girlfriends than friends back then. Well, except for the making out part; holding hands seemed so normal between them…

"You're good for her." Reewa sounded sincere. The change in Katie became noticeable to her recently, when Katie proposed the one-week relationship with Jessie. Katie was all defensive about it, claiming it to be a mere training session for the blonde, who surprisingly started dating Ysabella. Katie was clearly unhappy upon finding out, but vehemently denied being jealous. It made Reewa's eyes roll.

_What the hell is a 'relationship training' anyway? _

Relationships are supposed to be spontaneous. People are not supposed to be trained. Sure, Reewa had never been involved in anything other than heterosexual relationships, but she strongly believes that it's the same with any other kind. Watching the L word only proved it. And of course, Jessie is intelligent enough and old enough not to need any sort of 'training'. For all she knows, Katie is just taking advantage of the situation…

_Jessie is pretty much her type anyway…_

"Nobody is." Jessie replied, breaking Reewa's train of thought. Reewa heard the sigh that Jessie let out.

"Katie is not a saint. She's far from being one." Reewa joked, half-meaning it. She had always made it clear with Katie that she's not particularly proud of her friend's mating habits. She referred to it as 'mating', for that only fit Katie's promiscuousness. Being friends for a long time, she knew the lawyer very well. The fact that Katie is kind, gentle, beautiful and intelligent is incontrovertible. That's what drove men crazy. And now, even women.

"Do you know that Katie actually took your relationship seriously? The 'poor girl' never even visited her favorite bar where she usually hit on girls since you two 'got together'. I think that's a progress. Personally, I like the subdued Katie. For the first time in years, I never saw her flirt with anyone who wears a skirt, other than you, her supposed girlfriend. And I can see that she's actually happy."

Pause… Jessie looked like she's deep in thought.

"Listen, I might be prying, but Katie is different when she's with you. You need to know that." Reewa knew that she is indeed, prying, but it doesn't take a genius to see that in this pretense between Katie and Jessie, something real is lying underneath.

"Thanks… But I think we're overanalyzing things here." Jessie negated.

"It's unsolicited opinion, I know. But Katie needs someone like you…"

"No she doesn't…"

"Or maybe, IT IS YOU that she needs." Reewa said pointedly, closely observing Jessie's reaction. Jessie sat unmoved, avoiding Reewa's gaze. So the reporter continued. "I do believe that." Reewa gave Jessie a reassuring smile.

"I wish I could believe that too." A sad smile crossed Jessie's face, as she averted her eyes. Suddenly, her untouched plate of food seems so interesting again. Sitting in silence, the reporter watched her on the opposite side of the table.

And from where Reewa sat, she could see the blonde hurting…

The same hurt she saw in Katie's eyes when she went to see her yesterday in the latter's Radio Suites unit upon arrival from Illinois…

_So this maybe more complicated than I thought… _

Radio Suites… Not having any trial scheduled for that afternoon, law firm partners Katie and Tad were at the floor below Katie's floor. It was their favorite gym where the two of them work out whenever they have time. The paper works in the office were left to the hands of the associates. Sweating in his treadmill, Tad stops, wipes the beads of sweat in his forehead, then turns to throw his friend a look.

"I hate this." Tad muttered below his breath, but it didn't escape Katie's ears. He didn't intend to let Katie hear, but there would be no point in lying.

"Working out?" Katie frowned. She pushes a button and the treadmill slows down; her head turning to be able to look at her partner.

"Lying to Grace."

Upon hearing that, Katie slams the treadmill off, crossed her arms, turning to Tad with a glare.

"I can't believe this. For someone who lectured me about all those true love crap--"

"I did it for you, okay?" Tad growled in return. Katie's eyes slightly widened in surprise.

"What?"

"About your relationship with Jessie. I'm still lying to her, actually. Grace believes that Jessie is finally happy and that you're the reason behind it." Tad sighed. He hoped to see some remorse in Katie's face, but was only disappointed. Katie's not the one to be sensitive when it comes to other people's feelings; well, when it comes to females she slept with anyway.

"You didn't have to lie." Katie said dismissively.

"I wish I could do that but I already got sucked into this game you invented. After putting up that 'perfect girlfriend face' in front of Jessie's family, how am I supposed not to lie? Grace is already having these wild ideas of your commitment ceremony with Jessie in Canada." Tad informed Katie in exasperation.

The wedding part sure did put a blush in Katie's face.

"Then don't talk with her about me and Jessie. Keeping your mouth shut is not equivalent to lying." Katie slightly raised her voice.

"Maybe, but it's aiding and abetting. I'm starting to feel like I'm actually committing a felony." Tad exaggerated a sigh. Katie narrowed her eyes at him.

"You know, I'm happy that you and Grace are finally together, though I never really believed that you could love someone for so long that you're willing to shut your whole world from everyone else, but since you proved me wrong, which, as far as I can remember is barely two days ago, you started prying with my life more. I don't appreciate it."

"Well, now that Grace is my girlfriend and Jessie is part of her family, it's only proper that I look out for her."

"What am I, the big bad wolf?" Katie growled.

"No, but you're worse. You're the one person who doesn't believe in happily ever after." Tad growled back. He stared at his friend who had no clear expression on her face. She's not angry, he's sure of it.

But he wondered whether he hit some nerves.

"I know you don't want to touch on the Stanford subject again. I'm glad that even though it took you years to open up about it, you finally trusted me. You loved Jessie, right? Partly, may I know how it feels like, or how it felt. But now, she's here, with you, I couldn't figure out what's holding you back."

"Nothing is holding me back. This is who I am, and Jessie is part of the past. Will you stop parading your wisdom in front of me? I didn't ask for an opinion. Save it for the court." Katie scowled at Tad.

"Is it because you're afraid to be hurt by her again?"

"Are you deaf?" Katie's temper is apparently flaring.

"Technically, it wasn't Jessie who hurt you, Kat. You're the one who left."

Pause…

"It's strange that other people could see it more clearly than you… I know you, you know me… Please, don't be a fool." Tad prepared himself for some serious retaliation from Katie. Katie's not easily angered, but he knew that this is crossing the line. He didn't care. So he continued when Katie did not say anything.

"Can you honestly say that you're not in love with her anymore?" He challenged her. "If Jessie was worth leaving your Stanford dream, then maybe she's worth fighting for."

Katie's glare almost set Tad on fire, but he held his gaze, still challenging her. The fact that the dirty blonde was not able to, and did not bother to answer him, only proves his point. Katie couldn't say anything in defense of herself. So he anticipated a slap on the face that could be coming any moment now…

It didn't come. Katie's not physical, but the fire in her eyes was the kind Tad had never seen in her before. Until he realized something, rather someone, caught his friend's eyes…

Ysabella Cage is standing beautifully at a distance, in her work out clothes. This usually elicits a grin in Katie, but this time, he didn't see it. Katie and Ysabella remained staring sharply at each other for a while, before the angelic blonde marched out, heading for the shared locker room. Katie wasted no time and followed her, before Tad could even ask what's going on.

Usually, she and Ysabella flirt around whenever they see each other in the gym. This time, it was a different atmosphere.

"Have I done something to you?" Katie sounded annoyed as she cornered Ysabella at the locker room. The blonde sure had noticed her and heard her call, but ignored her all the same. Upon catching up with her, Ysabella threw Katie a glare.

"Ysabella?" Katie gave the chef a questioning look. Looking reluctant, Ysabella finally said something.

"You know what's not fair? Just when you decide to turn your life around, it stabs you in the back." Ysabella made sure to make her point, but Katie did not seem to get it.

"You don't sound happy to see me." Katie, out of loyalty to her friend and one-time lover, contained her irritation.

"I'm not." Ysabella said flat out, her awfully serious tone throwing Katie off.

There was a tension-filled silence. Katie, for a brief moment, let herself think of what could possibly be the cause of Ysabella's hostility. She had never seen her so angry and unhappy before. But nothing came to mind.

"Okay, you're angry, I get it. It has something to do with me, apparently. At least I deserve to know what's it about."

Ysabella contemplated and debated over talking and not talking.

"Do you still enjoy it?" Ysabella finally gave Katie the deserved attention.

"Enjoy what?" Katie's eyebrows contracted in confusion.

"Your conquests."

"What kind of question is that?" Katie looked affronted.

"A legitimate one. We played the same sport, Katherine. I sure did enjoy my nightly search for meaningless sex…"

"What's your point?"

"Do you still enjoy it?" The chef repeated; her arms crossing in anticipation.

Pause. Their eyes locked, challenging each other. And when Katie did not answer, Ysabella continued.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?"

"Meaningless sex and love at first sight do not really go together, Ysabella."

"Good to know you understand that." Ysabella did not try to sugar-coat the sarcasm.

"You do know that you're talking in riddles?"

"I'm in love with Jessie, Katherine…" Ysabella firmly stated.

Katie blinked. Ysabella's words, no matter how indirectly pertains to her, seemed to strike an effect in her heart…

"What?" Sure Katie heard it clearly. She does not understand why, but she hoped she heard wrong.

"She has a pure heart… A pure heart which unfortunately belongs to undeserving you." Ysabella smiled bitterly at her rival, as her eyes watered with tears. Before it could even fall, the chef turned away, leaving Katie standing alone in the locker room.

The surprise wouldn't leave Katie's face…

_Was Jessie that believable, that even Ysabella believed in our pretense? _Then Katie remembered her time with Jessie and her family… She almost believed it herself; that Jessie's heart belonged to the 'undeserving her'.

Night… Alex wasn't home when Jessie got back from work. Her friend informed her of the double shift she would be filling-in. Alex didn't sound so happy on the phone, but couldn't really complain. Too bad, Jessie bought her friend's favorite cheeseburger for dinner.

_Guess I'm going to have to eat alone then… _Jessie sighed. Heading to their kitchen, Jessie pulled the refrigerator door open. She stared at the contents, not really knowing what to get, then settled for a bottle of water. Then her eyes traveled to stop at the kitchen phone…

Katie hadn't called her all day.

It was supposed to be their last day; the last day that will mark the end of a really happy, though very brief period she spent with Katie. The thought of it increased the loneliness she was currently feeling… She thought of calling Katie, but decided against it. She was annoyed that Katie didn't even call, sad that Katie didn't call, and irritated, because Katie didn't call; she never realized those feelings could actually come altogether. It's their last day, and they should be making the most of it together…

_Or maybe she's CELEBRATING it alone, or not alone, flirting with some girl at the--_

Knocks on the door… Jessie silently berated herself for being a wretch. She shouldn't be dwelling on something she's better of forgetting. Then she headed to open the door…

"Hi."

And there was Katie, standing at her door, holding a basket full of dinner, grinning at her. When Jessie didn't greet her back, Katie explained.

"I hope you're not busy, because we're breaking up tomorrow, and I realized that we've never really went out on a date." Katie said, making Jessie smile in amusement.

"You came here, just so we could have our date, which is long overdue?"

"We'll, we couldn't really go out since its pouring snow outside, so, I was hoping that we could have our date here… Would that be okay?" Katie asked, sounding hopeful. Jessie pretended to think, and then let Katie in.

"Good thing that Alex is not here." Jessie smiled.

Katie, who had perfectly planned out everything about their impromptu dinner date, took charge of everything. Jessie insisted on helping, but the lawyer just wouldn't allow it; she wanted to serve Jessie, for once, for it may never happen again…

She never really planned on seeing Jessie that day. After that confrontation with Ysabella, she headed back to her office to work, for there was nothing else for her to do. But her brain isn't working with her. She just couldn't focus. Her conversations with Tad and Ysabella kept repeating in her head, like some broken record. At some point, she picked up the phone to call Jessie, but she didn't know what to say to her, so she hung up before she could even dial her number.

Eventually, not seeing Jessie drove her crazy, so she planned this special dinner, just for Jessie…

Weird. They spent the whole dinner in silence. But it was a comfortable one. They smile at each other once in a while, oftentimes catching each other staring. Katie could spend every night like that…

"Sorry if my dad scared you." Jessie said laughing. The two are now at the kitchen, in front of the sink, cleaning the utensils that they used.

"I almost peed in my pants when he pulled me for that heart-to-heart talk, Jess." Katie laughed along. "But, he's a good father." Katie said sincerely.

"You never told me what he told you."

"You were closely listening." Katie narrowed her eyes playfully at Jessie, making the blonde slightly blush.

"No I wasn't!" Jessie said defensively.

"Yes you were." Katie said coolly.

"How would you know? Were you stealing glances of me?" Jessie didn't know where she got the guts to say that… But it was supposed to be a joke. Katie merely smiled, then avoided looking at her.

"You think I'm cute, don't you?" Jessie teased.

"No I don't." Katie replied. Jessie laughed again.

"I am."

"No you're not… You're beautiful." Katie threw her a brief glance. The dirty blonde was finished wiping a plate dry and handed it to Jessie. After recovering from the surprise comment from the lawyer, Jessie was back in teasing mode again.

"Is that your pick up line?"

"I don't have a pick up line."

"Do you say that to every girl you slept with?"

"No."

"So, none of them is beautiful?" Jessie joked. Katie turned to face Jessie in amusement, wondering what hit the blonde, who's looking at her now with mischief. Jessie had never looked so playful…

"I don't need to tell them they're beautiful so I could sleep with them. I have enough charms to lure them into bed." Katie said, as a matter of fact…

"So, why did you tell me I'm beautiful?" Jessie wanted to hear from Katie that she's special… But Katie didn't say anything, instead, she stared at Jessie… Katie stared at her to the point of making her feel really uncomfortable…

_Whoops… _Jessie turned away, so she wouldn't have to deal with Katie's piercing eyes…

And this time, Katie didn't realize that she couldn't focus on anything else anymore, but on Jessie's lustrous blonde hair and her stunning blue eyes…

_Move away, Katie, move away… _Katie repeated the mantra to herself as she realized her proximity with Jessie, whose standing in front of her, and who wasn't facing her…

But it isn't easy…

"I, uh, got to go get something from the living room. Excuse me." Jessie said, feeling as if her voice was caught up in her throat. She moved herself away from the temptation standing right beside her… She knew she shouldn't let her feelings take over… So she walked to the direction of the kitchen door, only to be stopped by the hand that grabbed her right hand.

Jessie stopped, and she slowly turned around, finding the temptation standing right in front of her…

The two now stood, in a tensed silence, where only the sound of their breaths could be heard. Katie's left hand traveled from Jessie's hand to her shoulder, and then to her right cheek, caressing her…

Katie was close, too close that Jessie could now feel Katie's nose grazing her forehead. Jessie held her breath; she has no idea what Katie was planning to do. Momentarily, she closed her eyes…

The temptation is getting harder to resist…

With Katie, the internal debate was wracking her brain, but she just couldn't make a step back. Feeling Jessie's warmth feels so comfortable. Her mind tells her she's crazy, reminding her heart that all of this is to end tomorrow, which makes her not want to part from Jessie even more…

Jessie opened her eyes again when she felt Katie's face move slightly away from her, finding Katie staring intensely at her. She wondered whether Katie could see the fire in her eyes. Her heart was melting at Katie's touch, and with the way she's looking at her… She stared back, half-anticipating. She still hadn't forgotten about what's going to happen tomorrow…

Tomorrow, her heart will be broken…

But when Katie moved closer and leaned down, capturing her lips for a kiss she never knew could taste so sweet, her mind swirled, and her heart jumped…

Everything else seemed to not matter anymore…


	14. Alone

The last day

**CHAPTER 13 ALONE**

The pair of exquisite green eyes remained fixed at the soundly sleeping blonde-haired pharmacologist. Indulging at the breathtaking sight, she let her right hand trail the exposed skin of the blonde's left arm. For quite a while, she continued with her ministrations, of which act later caused the blonde to snuggle to her closer…

A small smile slowly crept in Katie's face as Jessie unconsciously scrunched up her nose. Katie, who witnessed this as she lay on her left side watching the other sleep, found it really cute…

It was already 8:00 o'clock in the morning, which is way past Katie's wake up time. For years, she had been used to waking up even before the sun is up. She's even up earlier after one night stands. But today, lying down on Jessie's bed, with Jessie actually sleeping beside her, where she could smell her hair, and feel some strands brushing against her forehead, it felt different…

It's a new and different kind of feeling, when for the first time, after one scorching night with this most beautiful being, Katie couldn't pull herself away from the bed, or away from this woman in her arms. How can she? This is Jessie, for Christ's sake, the first and the only person who turned her life upside down; the only person who can distract her and monopolize her thoughts; the only person who can break all her defenses…

The person she had learned to let go…

Katie sighed and closed her eyes. Fresh memories of last night flooded her mind; the way her touch made the blonde quiver underneath her, as her hands left a trail of fire wherever they touched; the way her lips teased Jessie's skin; the way Jessie smelled like lavender; the way Jessie held on to her, pulling her closer as she arched her back; the feeling of Jessie's breasts against her own; the way Jessie stared at her; the feeling of Jessie's warm breath against her face as the blonde called out her name; the feeling of Jessie kissing back… She could still feel as if Jessie's lips are still connected to her own… Ah, the feeling of those soft, tempting lips will never be forgotten; the way those lips responded to her intruding tongue. Kissing someone had never been that good…

_Nothing had ever been this good…_

But let's face it. Today is BREAK UP DAY. Last night just happened. Whether they have to talk about it or not, Katie isn't sure, except for one thing: being with Jessie now reminds her of that familiar longing…

Loving…

When Katie opened her eyes again, she found Jessie looking at her in a daze, with a small smile plastered in her face…

"Hi…" Katie greeted softly. Jessie did not greet back. She remained staring… "I obviously overstayed… And I'm late for work… I, uh, I'll be leaving in a few minutes…" Katie continued, but still did not receive any response from Jessie. Smiling back at the blonde, Katie leaned closer and kissed her on the forehead. When Katie pulled back, she found Jessie's eyes closed again. Katie couldn't help but smile… Then she forced herself out of bed.

x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

Alex, who's tired and hungry, impatiently searched for her set of keys in her bag, and after minutes of fumbling inside, finally found it and lifted it to their door, only for the door to be opened at the exact moment by--

"Katie?" A frown formed in Alex's face.

"Hey Alex." Katie greeted her, but more like she squeaked. Alex glanced at her watch.

"I'm pretty sure I didn't get drunk last night nor did I give you my keys again." Alex flashed back to the morning she found Katie cooking breakfast in their kitchen, after being drunk the previous night and trusting the lawyer with her apartment key.

"Uh, Jessie let me in."

"She's still here? Isn't she supposed to be at work now?" Alex looked suspiciously at Katie. But Katie is also suspiciously avoiding her eyes.

"Uh, I got to go. Bye Alex." Katie hurriedly walked past by Alex and headed for the elevator. Alex watched Katie until the dirty blonde was out of sight, then entered the apartment.

x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

Singer & Pincus conference room…

"Kat."

No reaction.

"Kat!"

"What the-- Tad, I'm not deaf!" Katie glowered at Tad as she immediately moved away from him after being yelled at directly in her ear. Tad just had to roll his eyes.

"Did you even understand what I had been saying?"

"What?" Katie frowned. Tad then picked up the folder in his hand and waved it in Katie's face. Annoyed, Katie pushed the folder away.

"The facts of the case of a new client?" Tad hinted.

"What client?"

"The one I've been talking about!" Tad said in exasperation.

"Weren't we talking about your New Year plans with Grace?"

"That was minutes ago." Tad sighed, sounding tired. He noticed the difference when Katie came into the office that morning. Well, first of all, she was late, and second, she keeps spacing out.

Pause…

"Talk to me, Kat. Come on…" Tad said seriously.

"Fine. Discuss the facts of the case again and I promise to listen to you this time. I'm sorry, I've just been really tired."

"It's over, isn't it?" Tad isn't asking, he's actually just confirming.

"We haven't even gone into trial." Katie scoffed. Tad shook his head

"It ended. Your one week relationship with Jessie had finally ended." Tad stated knowingly. Katie stiffened in her seat. She turned her eyes away from Tad.

"Well, since one week consists of seven days, and since yesterday was actually the seventh day, I guess its right to assume that it did end."

After studying his friend's face, he finally asked…

"How are you?"

"Me?"

"See anyone else here?"

"It was supposed to end that way, Tad, I was the one who proposed it." Katie still did not look at Tad's way.

"That wasn't my question."

Pause… Katie, for the first time in years, didn't know how to defend herself. Sometimes, she's still amazed at how her friends could see through her…

"I… I need to be alone for a while… I need time to think." Katie said softly. Concerned, Tad got up from his chair.

"If you want me to leave, I can--"

"No Tad… I mean, I have to take the day off."

"Okay." Tad watched as Katie got up from her seat and headed for the glass door…

x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

Grabler Building…

Alex, after relaxing in a hot bubble bath and changing into a fresh set of clothes, finally went out of her room and headed to the kitchen to get breakfast. But as she got nearer her destination, a crease began to form in her forehead as something strange caught her attention…

The pieces of discarded clothing as she passed by Jessie's door leading to the kitchen… And when she picked up the last piece of it by the sink, Alex's jaw began to drop as realization hit her…

_HOLY SHIT…_

"Arra Jessica!"

Jessie almost jumped out of her bed as her friend's shouting awakened her. She sat stiff on her bed, and found herself looking back at Alex's reproving eyes. Realizing her 'glorious' predicament, the blonde held on to the blanket that is the only thing covering her, and slightly glad that Katie had left. She wasn't glad that Katie was gone, she was glad that Alex didn't catch them at an awfully compromising situation…

"Alex, there's a reason why doors have locks, you know." Jessie tried not to show her embarrassment, as if catching her with all of her guard down is something that happens everyday.

"Well, it's not locked." Alex rolled her eyes.

"What do you want, Alex? I'm really tired, and I just want to go back to sleep." Jessie whined.

"Oh, I'm sure." Alex raised an eyebrow. This time, Jessie turned really red. "Aren't you going to work?" She chastised.

"Not today."

"Tired?" Alex pointedly repeated as she lifted up the clothes that she picked up from the kitchen up to Jessie's bedroom door. Jessie turned even redder.

"Give me that."

"Do we need to do some serious cleaning of the sink or are we safe?" Alex intended to embarrass Jessie more, if that's even possible.

"We don't need to do any cleaning. Will you just go and find something more productive to do?" Jessie chuckled, despite of herself.

"So, based on the 'evidence' I've gathered, I have a pretty clear idea on how it all happened…" Alex pondered… "Or not 'how', but maybe 'where' it all started based on the chronological discarding of garments, but I just got to ask you this…" Alex lifted one of the clothes she had picked up… "How the hell did you get this off first?" Alex held a black bra for Jessie to see.

"I wasn't the one who took it off." Jessie deviously grinned at Alex, and this time, it was Alex who had to turn red. Shaking her head in amusement and disbelief, she threw the clothes in Jessie's direction, with Jessie managing to catch most of it.

"You're incorrigible." Alex chuckled, and Jessie smiled. After a few seconds of observation, Alex just had to ask a burning question in her head again. "How was it?"

"Wonderful…" Jessie had that dreamy look in her face; something Alex had never seen in years… Shaking her head, a smile crossed Alex's face, as she made a step back and closed Jessie's door, leaving a dreamy-looking Jessie behind…

_Question is, why was Katie rushing to get away? _The answer, Alex isn't sure if she wants to know, 'coz she perfectly remembers what today is.

And another day passed by, and Alex still haven't got any idea where Katie had gone, and she wasn't the only one…

"How can someone like Katie just vanish from the face of the earth?" Reewa's voice forced Alex out of her trance. The two sat inside a Starbucks in Manhattan that afternoon of December 29.

"Why would she want to?" Alex answered with another question.

"Doesn't it make you a little suspicious that after her supposed break up with Jessie, she goes on hiding somewhere and cuts her lines of communication? Maybe she took it hard?" Reewa rather sounded hopeful.

"Maybe." _I hope so…_

"And how's Jessie?" Reewa inquired.

"Fine, I guess…" It was a lie, of course. After almost catching Jessie red-handed yesterday morning and their playful exchange, their subsequent conversations were rather languid. Jessie would flash a smile once in a while, but Alex could clearly see it was just a front to hide how anxious the blonde is, maybe waiting for Katie to call. Katie didn't drop by; she didn't do anything at all. Jessie stayed at home all day yesterday, probably waiting for a call that was never to come. Jessie, before she even left for work that morning, wasn't looking very happy, but pretended to be okay, as always…

And she's worried about Jessie…

_So where on earth is Katie?_

"Niagara Falls? You've been to Niagara Falls?" Tad's disbelieving voice broke through Katie's thoughts. She sat next to him inside his Subaru, as he drove. The call from Katie surprised Tad, and he wondered why he had to pick Katie up from a train station. He didn't even have any idea Katie had left the city.

"Yeah." It was Katie's short answer.

"Alone?"

"I said I wanted to be alone, didn't I?"

"I think you did, but forgot to mention the little detail about Niagara Falls." Tad said in sarcasm.

"I needed to be away… I needed to think. Water calms me." Katie said seriously. Tad threw her a brief look… Thinking carefully about what to say next, he steered clearly away from what he assumes as the reason of the sudden departure and return.

Pause…

"What did you have to think about?" He asked, trying not to sound too curious.

"Some burning questions inside my head." _And heart…_

"Well, did you get your answers?"

"Maybe…"

"And…?"

"And I think I'm being stupid again." Katie said dismissively, and Tad knew better than to ask more questions. His law firm partner is obviously not in the mood to chat… But he hoped that what Katie said was a good thing… He hoped Katie did realize something.

Inside Katie's head, there was a whirlwind of thoughts. Her escape to Niagara Falls was a spur-of-the-moment decision, but she had to get away. She stayed in a lavish suite at a hotel, but didn't really get enough sleep. She just wouldn't stop thinking about that golden-haired goddess, her voice that sounded like an angel's…

Ah, the cycle just wouldn't stop. Everywhere she looks, it was Jessie's face that she sees. The falls itself calmed her a bit, but not so much, for rationality seemed to escape her. Keeping thoughts of Jessie away is an impossible task…

Which puts her back in the situation that she ran away from years ago, at Stanford…

She was confused; so confused like she'd never been before. She's never supposed to feel this way again, to think about Jessie THIS WAY ever again. New York was supposed to make her forget; her conquests helped her forget…

_Didn't it? _

Of course, the one night she spent with the beautiful pharmacologist didn't help. But how could she resist? Just looking at the blonde kept her glued to where she stood that night. She couldn't remember what she was thinking. Rather, she wasn't thinking at all! She let her body do the talking, and her actions showed what she was feeling that moment…

Was it lust? No. She's pretty sure it wasn't. She's too familiar with lust, and what went on between her and Jessie wasn't just lust… It was more than that. And it's the reality that she's so scared to admit. It's so ironic, that after years of being scared of it, and actually thinking she had gotten over it and moved on from it, nothing has changed… It was still Katie Singer's greatest fear…

Being in love with Jessie is something that isn't easy to face, for Katie… She had spent all those years, trying to forget, but apparently, all those efforts were in vain. Barely 3 months back in Katie's life, and here is Jessie again, driving her nuts…

But that's not the only question she wanted to be answered. There is another pressing one, something so big that it could change lives forever, the scariest questions Katie had to answer…

Is she ready to tell Jessie what she had been keeping from her all these years? Rejection isn't something Katie is so used to… That would probably drive her to the edge of sanity. But while in Niagara Falls, she had come to a decision…

_It's about time to stop being a chicken… _She had spent years convincing herself that she didn't need Jessie to be happy… But boy, was she wrong. That night with Jessie, the best night of her life, was her turning point…

And now, there's no going back…

"So, do you want to head home or do you want to pick up something to eat?" Tad spoke again.

"Javu's." Katie's answer couldn't be any shorter.

"If you're too tired, we could have the food delivered. I'm sure Ysabella wouldn't mind sending one of her staff."

"No. I'm not hungry." Katie said firmly.

"I thought you said you wanted to go to Javu's?" Tad frowned. He isn't aware of the conversation that took place between Katie and Ysabella at the locker room of the gym in Radio Suites.

"Yeah, to talk." Katie's serious tone intrigued Tad. But instead of prying even more, he just did what Katie wants; he steered the car to the nearest route heading to Javu's.

Javu's… Two blondes were standing opposite each other in the kitchen; one wearing a chef's uniform, and the other, trying to keep warm inside her trench coat. The silence between them which started awkward, somehow felt a little more comfortable now. The other blonde's arrival was unexpected and unannounced, and the blonde manning the kitchen didn't look very pleased at first…

The reason why Jessie came over is clear, and she managed to say it once, with all sincerity…

"I'm just really sorry…"

Pause… Then there was a chuckle… It was a bit soaked with sarcasm, but not enough to deter Jessie…

"I thought we were past that part?" Ysabella tried to masked the pain…

"I'm not really sure you heard me the first time I said it that night, when you walked away and never looked back…"

"Why does it matter now?"

"It matters to me. You're my friend."

_Ouch… _

"I came to New York without intending to hurt anyone… But I did hurt you, and for days I couldn't stop thinking about it. I guess I'm just not used to feeling guilty…" Jessie sighed.

"Is that why you're here, because of the guilt trip?"

"I… I don't think I could go on pursuing this thing with Katie, knowing that I haven't cleared whatever it was between us…"

Pause… A bitter smile crossed Ysabella's face…

"I love you, Jessie…"

The confession made Jessie's jaw drop.

"But it's Katie that you love… I can't really force myself on you, nor do I want to do that…"

"Ysabella…"

"I'll live… You and Katie is a painful thought, but I'll live…" Ysabella reassured Jessie…

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't be sorry for wanting to be happy. You deserve it." Ysabella smiled. Jessie moving towards her surprised her, especially when Jessie wrapped her arms around her for a warm embrace… The smile in the chef's face grew wider… At least there's a goodbye hug…

"Goodbye Jessie…" Ysabella pulled away, and stole one quick goodbye kiss on the lips. Jessie looked surprised, but smiled. The pharmacologist didn't say goodbye, but merely smiled at her.

"Thank you, Ysabella…" With that, Jessie left the kitchen. Upon reaching the front door of Javu's, she had a glimpse of that familiar blue Subaru speeding away… Then her heartbeat doubled…

She felt Katie's presence somehow… Or was it just her imagination?

x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

"What are you doing here? And where the hell have you been?" Reewa's slightly raised voice made Katie turn around. The lawyer was holding two (2) glasses of wine in her hands.

Both were inside a ladies' bar called 'Heat'. Slightly raising an eyebrow, Katie grinned.

"I should ask you the same thing. Since when do you visit places like this?" Katie giggled. "You're supposed to be straight."

"Well, I happen to know that this isn't exclusive for… People like you. And besides, it's a cool bar. Alex wanted to hang out, so we decided to see what's the fuss about this place."

"Alex is here?" Katie looked rather horrified. It was then that Reewa noticed the two glasses of wine in Katie's hands.

"So you're still alive?" Alex's sarcastic voice came from Katie's right. Too late to even hide. Katie never planned on seeing any of her friends tonight…

_Not anyone that I know…_

"Alex." Katie smiled at Alex.

"We've been trying to reach you since yesterday. Your cellphone cannot be reached, your voicemail is off, your home phone went unanswered… What's with you?" Alex's accusing glare made it known to Katie that Alex is seriously unhappy.

"Well, what's the fuss? I'm here now."

"Were you hiding from someone?" Alex narrowed her eyes on Katie.

"Why would I?" Katie's pride finally managed to take over.

"I don't know. Maybe something happened that you're running away from?" Alex said pointedly. Reewa's own accusatory eyes focused on Katie. But before Katie could defend herself, a pair of lips landed a kiss on her left cheek, making Alex and Reewa's eyes turn to the person who did it…

Neither Reewa nor Alex looked happy…

"O-kay…" Katie tried to break the ice among them. "Reewa, Alex, this is Phaea. Phaea, these are my friends, Reewa and Alex."

After the introduction, the girl named Phaea, pronounced 'Faye', smiled sweetly at the gaping Reewa and Alex, before snatching one of the glasses from Katie's hand, and left again with a wave.

"What?" Katie asked irritatedly, after realizing that her friends hadn't taken their accusing eyes away from her.

"What are you trying to prove, Katie?" Reewa barked.

"Nothing, I… What's your problem?"

"No. What's YOUR problem?" Alex threw the question back.

"Why are you ganging up on me? I didn't do anything wrong."

"Really?" Alex raised an eyebrow, giving Katie a knowing look. It isn't rocket science. Katie could see Alex knew what happened between her and Jessie. It was really stupid of her for forgetting to at least pick up Jessie's clothes from the foyer and the kitchen.

"Alex, Jessie and I are over, okay?"

"After what happened? I can't believe you're actually saying that. So what was it, Katie, huh? What was it to you?" Alex was fuming. Her friend Jessie is suffering the pain of being taken for granted and here's Katie, starting to gear up with her 'mating habits' again. Katie was never this insensitive. Was this the same Katie who used to love Jessie?

Reewa is just utterly confused. _Something happened?_

"It's a simple one night stand… That's all it was. Why am I even explaining to you? You're not Jessie." Katie glared at Alex. It was when she turned her eyes away from Alex that she realized that someone else was standing nearby…

Her heart fell on the floor at the sight of Jessie, who looked like someone who had her heart broken…

_Well, you're not the only one… _The memory of Jessie and Ysabella in loving embrace flashed in her memory again… And there's that kiss… That's exactly what scared her… Sometimes, we're afraid to love someone because of the pain that someone can cause us…

_Shit… _Katie thought, then she realized Jessie was walking away. Alex forgot to mention the fact that she came with Jessie… These people had a really great timing.

"Jessie, wait." Katie ran after Jessie, pushing anyone who blocked her way. It was a really crowded bar. It took a lot of pushing and cursing before Katie was able to catch up with Jessie outside, before Jessie was able to hail a cab.

"Jessie…"

"So it was one simple one night stand? I actually feel relieved." Jessie turned around to face her, her voice wrapped with sarcasm.

"Will you let me explain?" Katie, now only with her pride left, tried to be strong. The least she could do is to act that she's great without Jessie…

"Why waste your breath explaining something I already understand?"

"Look, the one week we had was great. I loved being with you. But it's over… You're obviously happy that it's over…" Katie felt her own heartbreaking at that. Jessie shook her head…

"And you obviously have a different concept of what happy means… Did you plan it?"

"Plan what?"

"This whole scheme… This 'Ill-be-yours-for-a-week thing'. I had to admit, it was really tempting, and cute, I have to say… Was sleeping with me part of the plan?" Jessie fiery eyes bore a hole into Katie's own.

"It was consensual. We were in a relationship." Katie tried to keep her stance.

"Because you made me feel that that relationship meant something…"

Pause…

"Funny… I should be the one saying that to you." Katie looked straight into Jessie's eyes.

"Don't turn this around, Katie…"

"You're the one who came running into someone else's arms after we broke up, Jess…"

"We didn't break up… And you're the one fooling around in someone else's arms…"

Pause…

"That one whole week was a scam; every laughter, every fun that we had were fake. It was all an act."

"It wasn't…" It made Katie feel like crying.

"I misjudged you, Singer… You're probably a better actress than a lawyer." Jessie's voice was sharp enough to worsen the pain Katie was feeling…

"You have the guts to tell me that after kissing someone else?"

"What?" Jessie raised her voice.

"Did you enjoy kissing Ysabella?" Katie matched Jessie's anger.

"What?!"

"I saw you." Katie looked at her accusingly.

"So you what, decided we're over and went back to your old life of haunting vulnerable women in bars so you could have sex? That's really 'mature', Katie."

"YOU KISSED HER. That's all I know. And we had an agreement, you agreed to it. Why are you making it look like I'm the villain and you're the broken-hearted ex-girlfriend?"

"Because you knew my weakness and you used it against me…"

Pause… Jessie was unaware that the tears she had been holding are now trailing her cheeks…

"I came to New York to find you…" Jessie confessed…

"What?"

"I needed to find you because I love you…" Jessie wiped her tears…

"You… You love me?" Katie didn't realize that her voice trembled…

"But I don't even know why I bothered." Jessie shook her head, then turned around, hailed a cab, and left…

Katie stood frozen, as she watched the cab drove away…

Arra Jessica Sammler just told her that she loves her… And she let her go away… Then her own tears rolled down from her eyes…


	15. My Sweetest Downfall

**CHAPTER 14 MY SWEETEST DOWNFALL **

December 30… It had been days since Katie had seen sunlight…

The incessant banging on her door is really starting to irritate her. Her friend just wouldn't give up. A few times she had shouted for him to leave her alone, but he didn't. When the knocking stopped, she thought he had left. Now she figured his knuckles is probably starting to swell, but decided against giving up on her.

"Kat, open the door, please…" Tad repeated over again, pleading.

Katie did not move. She felt guilty for ignoring Tad, but she doesn't really want to see anyone else today. She just wants to be alone. Then the phone rang for the third time that day. The dark blonde, currently lying on the couch, lazily shifted her eyes from staring idly at her ceiling to the ringing phone, with no intentions of answering at all.

"_Katie?"_

This time, she heard the sound of Alex's voice being recorded in her answering machine, but just the same, it did not move her. But it did surprise her that her friend was calling her after that eventful night at Heat. Alex isn't particularly happy about Katie cheating on Jessie…

_But it wasn't cheating… _Katie convinced herself… Then, she heard Alex again.

"_Look, that night at the bar was a crazy night, okay? I wasn't much of a friend to you, and I'm sorry if I made you feel like you're a bad person… It's just…" _Alex paused, and heaved a sigh before continuing. _"Jessie is my friend too… And you hurt her… The ironic thing is that you're the last person I imagined who would…_"

There was silence again. Katie could only hear her own breathing. Alex is still on the line, thinking, apparently.

"_Do you remember that time when you decided to leave Stanford? At the airport, before you said goodbye, I asked you… I asked you how much you love Jessie, and you said, 'Webster does not have enough words to explain it.' I looked into your eyes, and I saw it… I saw what you mean… Maybe you have moved on, that's your purpose of moving here, and I couldn't blame you, but the Katie that I know wouldn't hurt Jessie that way. The Katie that I know would be sensitive enough and have the decency to at least make it more bearable for Jessie… So be that person Katie, please…" _Then Alex hung up.

The silence that followed was dreadful. All of a sudden, Katie felt so alone… It wasn't enough that she had been feeling depressed in the last few hours lounging around in her apartment. Now it's driving her insane, especially after that distressing and conscience-wracking message…

It got to her… Maybe it's true, that truth really hurts… And it made her feel like a monster…

_I am a monster…_

Katie remembered those different nights, with those different women she barely knew, and couldn't even remember the name afterwards. Sure she enjoyed her 'conquests', as Ysabella puts it. It satisfied her for a while. But after every rush, she could feel nothing. She felt empty. Maybe she never really admitted it before, but her nightly sexcapades was just her way of trying to forget that blonde girl she left without saying goodbye to, at Stanford…

In the deepest part of her subconscious, she always wondered what it would be like to be with Jessie; to hold her hand, make her smile, wake up in the morning and find her on her side…

It has always been about Jessie. But denial is not easy to recognize. When she saw Jessie again, after all those long years of trying to forget her, Katie had been in defensive mode; hence, the setting up with Tad, the casual flirting… That is, until Ysabella started hitting on Jessie, that defensive mode turned to protective mode… Or maybe now Katie is ready to admit, jealous mode.

That one-week proposal to Jessie was a major lapse of judgment for Katie. She never anticipated what could happen. She was still in denial, and thought she was just having fun of a friend who's rediscovering herself. But those moments with Jessie made her feel something; to feel that way was something she had been trying to find with the others before.

It's the most blissful feeling; the feeling of loving and being loved, although she never really openly admitted the former, nor consciously entertained the idea of the latter… Just as she realized, it was defense mechanism…

Then the one week period ended, and when she thought it was over between her and Jessie, she went back to her old life, hitting the bars and flirting with the first hot woman that she sees, breaking Jessie's heart…

_I broke her heart…_

Katie is still stunned, and in disbelief, whether that confession from Jessie was real or just at pigment of her imagination, which had been working wildly since that night Jessie dropped by her apartment, apparently drunk, and stripped in front of her that she had to call Reewa to her rescue…

Anything to get herself away from a highly inebriated and half-naked Jessie… It's dangerous territory…

"Katherine Singer, I swear, if you don't open this door now, I'm going to call 911. Here. I'm holding my celphone now." Tad threatened from the other side of the door.

Katie's eyebrow furrowed…

"I'm telling them you're suicidal." Tad threatened again upon getting no response from Katie. Katie bolted up from the couch and ran through her door, but not opening it for Tad.

"No I'm not! Why would you lie about something like that?!" Katie yelled from her side of the door. Relieved, Tad slightly smiled.

"Well, aren't you?" Tad asked. His friend hadn't left her apartment for a few days now. It really worried him. And that morning, when Grace called him, he finally understood why.

"NO. What good would it do me if I take my own life when I have one very important unfinished business? I'll probably wander earth for eternity and never find peace." Katie sighed… She leaned against the door, while on the other side, Tad was already sitting on the floor, leaning on the same door.

"Unfinished business, huh?"

"I don't know what to do, Tad…"

Silence…

"Aside from wanting to be a champion of justice, what was your reason for becoming a lawyer?" Tad asked. Katie, like Tad, now sat on the floor, leaning against the door.

"Relevance?" Katie is slightly amused.

"I'll get to it." He assured.

"I wanted to win."

"And you always do."

"I'm brilliant, aren't I?" A short smile, the first after that night at Heat, finally graced Katie's face.

"You are." Tad laughed, then continued. "I think all of us in this profession, in one way or another, have the same reason why we chose this thing that we do, because in court, we can do anything. We can control whatever happens on the trial, as long as we have all the evidence that we need. We can even feel when we're losing or when we're winning. We can always move for a reconsideration of an unfavorable judgment, we can always appeal… It's the feeling of being in control, of knowing what will happen. But outside the courtroom, we're powerless. That's what we are afraid of… That's what YOU are afraid of…"

Pause…

"Kat, this feeling for Jessie, you can't control it. You still love her and we both know it. You've been in denial stage for so long and I think it's enough. It's time for you to face your feelings for this person who I think loves you dearly…"

"I don't deserve her. She told me that she loves me, but I broke her heart, Tad…" Katie let her tears fall. That fleeting moment while she was watching Jessie walk away flashed through her again…

"You're not a bad person… But you made some wrong choices."

"I know…"

"It's not too late… You don't want to be the one who didn't say I love you back… Trust me, I've been there. You may not get the second chance that I got, so don't waste this. Take your shot." He encouraged his friend…

Evanston, Illinois…

It hadn't been easy telling her family the truth about her and Katie. She tried to explain in a way that wouldn't make them hate Katie. Everyone, to her relief, was sympathetic, especially her dad. Had Katie been a guy, Eli would probably be preparing to engage her in a fistfight. So far, the confession went well, except for the burden in her heart…

December 31… At Booklovers were the Sammlers, with the Mannings, at their annual New Year party with their friends. In attendance are the members of both families, of course, with Tad, and Eli's new girlfriend, and a few other family friends.

"Jess…"

Jessie looked up from her plate to see Zoe and forced a smile.

"You should really eat. You haven't eaten much since last night." Zoe said in concern.

"Yeah, I will, I just…"

"Don't tell me you're not hungry again, because it's not working for me." Zoe warned her. "You're thinking about her, aren't you?"

Jessie didn't answer, but let out a sigh.

"So that's it? You'll just let her go without a fight?" Zoe asked.

"Without a fight? I came to New York for her, Zoe. And all I got in return is a broken heart… I'm partly to blame for actually agreeing to that one-week relationship which I'm very aware of the consequences from the start… But I thought I could face the fact that after that one whole week, it would be over, that she wouldn't be mine anymore… I guess I got in too deep… I believed in the lie…"

"Well, she must be a pretty good liar for making everyone, including a very cynical me, believe that she loves you…"

Pause…

"Did she say that she didn't?" Zoe asked again.

"Didn't what?"

"Say that she didn't love you."

"I'm kind'a glad that she didn't because that would have made me feel even worse."

"What if she does?" Zoe sounded hopeful. Not that she's siding with Katie. But after talking to her, while the latter spent Christmas with them, she saw her sincerity. And no one is that good of a liar.

"Don't raise my false hopes, Zoe. Because if she does love me she'd be here with me now." Jessie got up from her chair.

"Where are you going?"

"Home. Tell dad I'm sorry, I'm not really in the party mood right now."

"Wait, I'm going with you." Zoe followed Jessie.

"You don't have to do that."

"You really think I want to stay here?" Zoe rolled her eyes. Jessie looked around and there are mostly older people in this party, with the exception of the Sammler and Manning siblings. Jessie smiled.

"Fine. You drive."

In a street not so far away… Two individuals in trench coats were walking fast towards their destination.

"You almost killed us!" Katie exclaimed in disbelief.

"Don't exaggerate. I just swerved the car, and I didn't hit anything." Alex frowned at Katie.

"And now we're walking." Katie snorted.

"Hey, it's not my fault you rented that cheap car. And I've lived more than half my life in California, so don't blame me if I'm not very good at driving with snow! And I don't even know why you dragged me here!"

"First, we don't have much choice as regards to the car, and second, you owe me." Katie glared at Alex.

"I realized you have to redeem yourself after that stupid thing you did, but I do have other things to do myself you know. You can't just abduct people to do your bidding."

"I need my friend to be there with me if things don't turn out well… I don't know if I'd be able to take it, Alex… I need you to be there." Katie said sincerely.

The two walk side by side in silence…

"And I can't believe you didn't tell me about Jessie's reason for coming to New York." Katie castigated Alex.

"Why would I? It's not my position to embarrass Jessie. And besides, how could you expect me to do so when after so many years of not seeing each other, there's Ysabella, opening your cabin door at the QE II in all her naked glory after you two had obviously finished a tiring exchange of fluids?" Alex rolled her eyes, and her statement made Katie cringe.

"Sex never sounded that horrible to my ears before." Katie shakes her head.

"I couldn't just come up to you and say, _hey Katie, Jessie loves you._ It's been years. I'm not even sure if you still love her. And you have this notorious new reputation. I thought you have moved on…"

"Me too…"

Manning Manor… Zoe had just parked their car and closed their garage. She found Jessie eating a sandwich in the living room. Zoe turned the tv on.

"I guess a cold turkey sandwich is all you really need, huh?" Zoe joked.

"I got hungry." Jessie replied before biting on her sandwich.

"Best thing I've heard from you all night, so far." Zoe chuckled.

Knocks on the door. Zoe was too lazy to get up from the couch, Jessie noticed. So, Jessie put her plate of sandwich down the center table and got up to get the door… And upon opening it…

Katie and Alex were standing soaked at the doorstep… After staring at Katie for a while, completely ignoring the companion, Jessie did not show any sign of anger or any kind of feelings at all, but stepped back and slammed the door shut… Zoe turned her head.

"Who was it?" Zoe asked curiously.

"No one important." Jessie replied. Zoe shifted her eyes back to the door. Whoever was it, he or she is still there, knocking patiently.

"Jess, let me talk to you, please..." The muffled, familiar voice calls out from the other side of the door. Zoe then eyed Jessie suspiciously.

"Do you want me to open the door?"

"Just tell her to go away and disappear forever." Jessie sulks and headed to her attic bedroom.

Zoe opened the door to a grief-stricken and fidgeting lawyer, and her friend.

"Zoe…"

"Tell me one good reason why I should let you in." Zoe sounded fearsome. She likes Katie for Jessie. But she's of course more partial with her stepsister, the one who was hurt…

"I need to talk to her…"

"I need a good reason, Katie."

"She's my life… Nothing else means anything without her…" Katie could feel her warm tears falling… Zoe stared at her, maybe gauging her sincerity…

Then the younger Manning stepped back and let her pass…

"One more chance, Katie… You'll never get it again." Zoe warned her. And Katie nods in understanding.

Attic bedroom… Jessie was prepared to see Zoe upon hearing the footsteps from the stairs leading to her room. But she was surprised to see Katie, and Alex standing at the top of the staircase… Glaring, Jessie called out…

"I know you're there, Zoe. Stop hiding." Jessie looked really angry. Zoe started ascending to the stairs, and Jessie was right, she was hiding and probably planning on spying on them.

"I wasn't hiding." Zoe squeaked.

"I told you to tell her to disappear forever." Jessie glowered at her.

"Why don't you tell her? She's standing right there." Zoe said sarcastically. Jessie turned her eyes towards Katie. Alex flinched. She had never seen Jessie so angry.

"For a lawyer, you're the type who keeps breaking the rules. You do know that trespassing is illegal in all 51 states, right?" Jessie scowled at Katie, but saw her looking rather 'lovingly' at her… Slightly, she blushed.

"What?" Jessie crossed her arms as she turned to face Katie, looking as stubborn like never before.

The silence was overwhelming. Alex could feel the tension escalating up to boiling point. The intensity of this pending confrontation was unbelievable. Zoe cleared her throat…

"Uh, maybe Alex and I should leave and get a coffee or something…" Zoe was motioning for the stairs, and Alex was eager to follow, but Jessie's commanding voice stopped them.

"No. It's Katie who needs to go." Jessie sounded firm.

"Why do you love me?" Katie matched Jessie's authority.

"How dare you ask me that?"

"Answer me."

"I'm sorry. I plead temporary insanity." Jessie mocks Katie, irritating Katie a bit.

"You were right. I was immature, and maybe selfish too. But please don't think that I intended to hurt you. I'm not perfect, Jessie, but I'm not the worst person in the world..."

"Whatever makes you sleep at night, Katie." Jessie says dismissively. Alex and Zoe exchanged looks…

Awkward…

"Don't act like you're the underdog here, Jessie. I have my reasons for being selfish now, and I know I'm different from the Katie you used to know. I told you about falling in love before, about how it made me vulnerable. I'm not trying to justify my mistake, I just want you to understand why I did the things I did, without the intention of hurting you, because first of all, I didn't know I could…"

Pause… Jessie stood unmoved, staring at Katie, who has tears forming in her eyes…

"I told you that it's not easy moving on… And that once you have, it's not easy to open up your heart for that person again, especially if that's the only person who can hurt you… You are that person for me Jess, my strength and my weakness… I wasn't prepared for you… So I left Stanford…"

"It was me?" Jessie looked surprised… The revelation made her feel different things… She always wondered about who that person Katie was talking about, and to find out it was her…

_Happy, sad… _It's a mixture of different feelings…

"We were young, it was so complicated. You were with Aiden and I was with Damien…" Katie wiped her tears…

"You could have told me."

"What would you have done?"

"I don't know. I probably would have been confused and scared like you. But I would have eventually come to the same realization as I did when you left…" Jessie wanted to wipe Katie's tears for her, but couldn't get herself to move.

"I have to admit that when I came to New York, I started forgetting about you, which was a good thing, 'coz finally it stopped hurting. I thought I moved on… Then I saw you again, and every reason why I left Stanford was all forgotten… But I tried to fight it, to fight these feelings for you because I know it would take a long time for me just to move on again… And I don't want to go through it all again…"

Pause…

"I got so protective of my own feelings, that I didn't realize it would hurt yours… And then you said you love me, and I stood frozen, surprised… It was a dumb mistake, for not going after you. I guess I was just so surprised, and so hurt after seeing you kissing Ysabella that I let my pride take over…" Katie explained.

"I wasn't… She kissed me. It was a goodbye kiss…"

"A… Goodbye kiss?"

"She knows that I love you, Katie… But I don't know what you were doing with that Phaea girl…" Jessie raised an eyebrow…

"Who?" Katie frowned.

"Phaea. That girl at Heat, when Alex and Reewa caught you, remember?"

"Oh… I forgot that was her name…" Katie slightly blushed. Jessie shakes her head, then she smiles…

"You're smiling…" Katie was confused.

"Well, you're here…" Jessie moved closer to Katie…

"Jessie?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry for the mistakes I've done…"

"Okay…"

"And Jessie?"

"Yeah?"

"I am so in love with you…" Katie smiled and reached for Jessie's hand.

"I know that now…" Jessie then captured Katie's lips with her own, just as the clock strikes 12…

While the two were engaged in their innocent, though very awkward (for Alex and Zoe) liplock, their company rather felt out of place… Zoe just found herself being dragged by Alex downstairs…

"You're holding my hand." Zoe commented when they reached the living room and Alex is still dragging her.

"What?"

"You're holding my hand." Zoe repeated. Alex looked down at their hands, and realized she had been, indeed, holding Zoe's hand, so she immediately lets go. It would have been normal if it was Reewa taunting her, but Zoe was looking weirdly at her, that it made her blush.

"What?"

"Don't you think it's unfair?" Zoe said nonchalantly.

"What are you talking about?"

"That those two got their New Year's kiss, but we didn't?" Zoe stared at Alex.

"Well, there's no one around." Alex shrugged, and when she looked up at Zoe, she noticed the mischievous glint in Zoe's eyes.

"Don't look at me like that." Alex almost squeaked. Zoe laughed.

"Relax. You're not my type."

"You're not my type either." Being around Zoe is making her nervous now. Well, around this insane version of Zoe anyway.

"Although a kiss wouldn't be so bad… I mean, it's just a kiss, for the sake of New Year, right?" Zoe grinned upon seeing the reaction she intended to get from Alex… A very red embarrassment…

"Maybe you should stop hanging out with Katie too much…" Alex stormed out of the living room to the kitchen to get away from Zoe… And from the kitchen, she could hear Zoe laughing…

Back at the attic…

Jessie and Katie remained standing, wrapped around each other's arms, with no intentions of letting go… It feels so comfortable, so warm, so right…

"Katie…"

"I love you, Jessie…"

"You've said that a thousand times already…" Jessie pulled back a little to look at Katie's face.

"I'll never get tired of saying it…"

"I love you too, Katie…" Jessie smiled… "And no moving on anymore, okay? You've done too much of that in the past few years…"

"Not that it worked anyway…" Katie smiled back, and moved closer to kiss Jessie again…

_**x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x**_

_**Author's Note: **__I'm not sure if I will be posting an Epilogue, but if I do, which will probably take another long period of time, I hope you guys would still read it. THANKS A LOT TO THOSE WHO KEEP READING… And sorry for the typos and grammatical errors, I know I have a problem with tenses, but I don't really have much time to edit everything… I hope not to disappoint with this final chapter… I tried my best, so forgive the writer's block! Thanks again!_


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